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Examples of Rooibos Business Ideas The Rooibos plant has many beneficial properties, which means you can mix it into almost anything. Check out our list below and find your unique Rooibos business idea.

By Nicole Crampton

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Rooibos naturally has numerous antioxidants and natural benefits. This has made it the cornerstone of several product lines. If working with a natural and beneficial ingredient is exactly what you're looking for then these could be the rooibos business ideas for you.

Before you get started you'll need to know a little about the various ways you can use rooibos, here are 10 examples of rooibos business ideas:

1. Rooibos Iced Tea

As the health industry booms around the world, consumers continue to look for healthy and enjoyable drink alternatives. Can you offer them something natural and healthy, with less sugar? If this sounds like something you could be passionate about, this could be the rooibos business idea for you.

Before you start brewing your next product, you'll need to see what is happening in the industry, here is an example of a rooibos business idea:

Business Name: Über Flavour

Website: https://www.uberflavour.com/

Established Date: 2014

About the business:

Über Flavour focuses on bringing its customers an ancient tea with an African soul, infused with Rooibos. Their products are based on the ancient Japanese tradition and respect for tea, its ingredients and how it should be prepared.

Related: Your Free Business Idea Evaluation SWOT Analysis Template

Besides rooibos this natural iced tea is also made with honey, lemon and cinnamon to add various flavours.

Innovative business offering

Über Flavour adds natural flavours during the brewing process, and no additives or sugar are used in this naturally refreshing drink.

2. Rooibos Creams and Lotions

Rooibos naturally contains high amounts of vitamins and minerals. This helps to make skin healthy and shiny. Incorporating rooibos into a cream or lotion can improve the look and feel of skin.

If this sounds like something you'd be passionate about, this could be the rooibos business idea for you. Here is an example of a rooibos business you can gain insights from:

Business Name: African Extracts

Website: https://www.africanextracts.com/

Established Date: 2002

About the business:

African Extracts was inspired by the natural antioxidant power of the rooibos plant. They developed a range of skin-care products with Bio-Active Rooibos extracted from organic rooibos.

Innovative business offering

In addition to retailing their natural rooibos infused skincare, African Extracts also own a sophisticated manufacturing facility, and make skin-care brands for other leading retailers.

3. Rooibos Tea Bag Handbags

Are you interested in upcycled fashion? This could be the rooibos business idea for you. Handbags decorated with tea bags are all the rage in Paris at the moment and could be a substantial business opportunity for you.

Before you start designing, here is an example of a rooibos business you can gain strategies from:

Business Name: Original Tea Bag Designs

Website: https://tbagdesigns.co.za/

Established Date: 2006

About the business:

Gracious Dube decided to use rooibos tea bags because they offered her a beautiful rich colour and the actual tea bags were stronger than other tea bags. Dube dries and irons the rooibos tea bags, varnishes them and either glues or stitches them onto silk.

Related: 6 of the Most Profitable Small Businesses in South Africa

Innovative business offering

In addition to creating plain purses, Dube also decoratively paints the tea bags to give the purse a unique and distinctly African look.

4. Rooibos Gin

If you enjoy the taste of rooibos but would prefer it mixed into something a little stronger than tea, why not make your own Rooibos Gin? This could be a unique rooibos business idea for you to start. Before you get going, here is an example of a rooibos business you can gain some insights from:

Business Name: Sugarbird Gin

Website: https://www.sugarbirdgin.com/

About the business:

Sugarbird Gin is infused with rooibos, honeybush and rose geranium, all of which are indigenous to the greater Cape region. They also use hints of cardamom, coriander and the subtle additions of cinnamon.

Innovative business offering

In addition to the natural South African gin they create, Sugarbird Gin also use local distillation techniques developed from experience in the winemaking industry, to ensure their gin has a uniquely South African taste.

5. Rooibos Tea

Rooibos tea is commonly known to have many health benefits, including antioxidants and minerals. It's high level of health benefits is why it continues to have a global market.

If the idea of launching your own rooibos tea brand appeals to you, this could be the rooibos business idea for you. Before you start finding suppliers, here is an example of a rooibos business you can gain some insights from:

Business Name: Rooibos Limited

Website: https://www.rooibosltd.co.za/

Established Date: 1993

About the business:

Rooibos Limited offers packed products in popular sizes for the retail and catering industry. They offer tea bags, loose leaf and powder extracts, as well as pouches, cartons and catering packs.

Innovative business offering

Besides their wide variety and range, Rooibos Limited also assist their customers in developing personalised labelling of their consumer packs for the various markets around the world.

6. Rooibos Shampoo

Rooibos is naturally enriched with minerals like zinc, calcium, copper and potassium. These minerals promote hair growth while strengthening hair roots, making rooibos the perfect ingredient for shampoo.

Related: 11 Uniquely South African Business Ideas

If you're passionate about natural hair health, this could be the rooibos business idea for you. Before you start creating your own brand, here is an example of a rooibos business you can gain strategies from:

Business Name: Faithful to Nature

Website: https://www.faithful-to-nature.co.za/

Established Date: 2006

About the business:

Faithful to Nature produces an organic shampoo made with rooibos and plant oils and herb extracts, which actively promotes strong beautiful hair. This product is also hypoallergenic and gentler on customers scalps and sensitive skin.

Innovative business offering

In addition to their rooibos shampoo offering, they have an entire range of organic, natural skin care and beauty products.

7. Health Supplements

As mentioned before, rooibos has a plethora of positive health benefits, from improving skin, hair and overall health. If offering an organic, natural health supplement excites you, this could be the rooibos business idea for you. Here is an example of a rooibos business you can gain some insights from:

Business Name: Annique

Website: https://www.annique.com/

Established Date: 1968

About the business:

Annique offers rooibos hardgel capsules, which assist with super antioxidant support. Rooibos has a wide array of health benefits such as assisting in prevention of heart disease and cancer, promoting anti-ageing and soothing digestive system problems.

Innovative business offering

In addition to the rooibos hardgel capsules, Annique also offers an entire skincare and beauty range, many of which are infused with rooibos extracts.

8. Skincare

Does the idea of starting your own skincare line excite you? Then this could be the rooibos business idea for you. Rooibos naturally contains antioxidants which help to fight free radicals in the skin and repair damage.

It also has anti-ageing properties, reduces eczema and acne. Before you launch your skincare range, here is an example of a rooibos business that you can gain some insights from:

Business Name: Marice

Website: https://www.marice.co.za/

About the business:

Marice specialises in handmade rooibos skincare products. She offers a range of products from soaps, lip balm, hand and body wash, lotion, bath and shower gel to body butter.

Related: A Free Business Plan Example to Launch Your South African Business

Innovative business offering

In addition to their wide range of rooibos infused skincare products, she is firmly committed to using only the best quality ingredients and staying away from harmful chemicals and preservatives.

9. Red Cappuccino

Does the idea of finding a caffeine alternative using rooibos excite you? Then this could be the rooibos business idea for you. Before you start brewing your products, here is an example of a rooibos business you can gain strategies from:

Business Name: Red Espresso

Website: https://redespresso.com

Established Date: 2005

About the business:

Red Espresso offers a range of full-bodied rooibos tea espresso's and superfood latte mixes that customers can have in a café or at home. These are caffeine-free and infused with antioxidants. Red Espresso aims to be the ideal healthy alternative to coffee.

Innovative business offering

In addition to this healthy coffee alternative, Red Espresso also sell their products in a wide range from ground rooibos tea to soft pods, instant cappuccino's, superfood matter mixes, smoothie powder and rooibos tea capsules.

10. Growing Rooibos

Instead of offering the processed product you can grow it yourself. If the idea of supplying the industry with top quality rooibos interests you, this could be the rooibos business idea for you. Before you start planting, here is an example of a rooibos business you can learn from:

Business Name: Skimmelberg

Website: https://www.skimmelberg.co.za/

About the business:

Skimmelberg has adopted environmentally friendly farming and production practices. They use organic liquid fertilizer made on their farm, they also use carbon-neutral fuel in their essential oil distillation plant.

Innovative business offering

In addition to the farm, they have also expanded into a nature reserve and offer tours, and they sell rooibos tea, soap, as well as Buchu tea, leaves, oil and soap.

Related: This Global Tea Company Is Infused With Sustainability Practices, Allowing It to Win Huge Tech Companies as Customers

Nicole Crampton

Entrepreneur Staff

Sales Enablement - Content Developer

Nicole Crampton is an SEO specialist who contributes to Entrepreneur.com/za. She has studied a BA Journalism at Monash South Africa and has continued her studies with a Creative Writing degree from UNISA. Nicole has completed several courses in writing and online marketing, and continues to hone her skills and expertise in digital media, digital marketing and content creation.

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