Rooibos
Rooibos is the leaf and fine stem of Aspalathus linearis, a legume shrub that grows only in the Cederberg and surrounding mountains of the Western and Northern Cape in South Africa. The harvested bush is cut, bruised and shredded, then either heaped and wetted so it oxidises to a deep red before drying, or dried immediately so it stays green. It is naturally caffeine free and low in tannin, which is why it is drunk as an everyday hot beverage and used widely in iced tea, infant and hospital catering, and flavoured blends. It is also pressed for extract used in beverages and in cosmetics. The name Rooibos is protected in the European Union as a designation of origin, so product carrying it must be grown and processed in the defined South African production area.
Listed rooibos markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Rooibos is graded on colour and oxidation state, on cut and sieve fraction, and on the moisture and microbiological limits set for a product that is pasteurised rather than boiled during manufacture.
Oxidation and colour
6 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Red rooibosFermented | Heaped and wetted after shredding so it oxidises, then sun dried. Deep red brew. The bulk of production. |
| Green rooibosUnfermented | Dried immediately after shredding with no oxidation step. Pale brew, higher aspalathin content, priced above red. |
| Oxidation durationHours | The length of the heap stage, declared on the contract, as it governs how far the colour is taken. |
| Colour measurementCIELAB L a b on the dry leaf and on a standard infusion | Instrumental colour reading against a reference, used to hold consistency across lots and seasons. |
| Infusion colourStandard brew comparison | A defined mass brewed for a defined time at a defined temperature and read against a reference infusion. |
| AspalathinPercentage by mass | The characteristic dihydrochalcone of the plant, highest in green rooibos and reduced by oxidation. Determined by chromatography and stated where the buyer is formulating an extract. |
Cut and sieve fraction
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Long cutCoarse, loose leaf | The largest particle, for loose leaf pot brewing and for extract production. |
| Short cutStandard tea bag cut | The main commercial cut, milled and sifted for high speed bag filling. |
| Fine cutSmall particle | Faster extraction, used in instant and rapid infusion applications. |
| Dust and finesPassing the finest sieve | Reported as a percentage of sample mass and contracted to a maximum, because it blinds bag paper and clouds the cup. |
| Stem contentPercentage by mass | Woody stem left after sifting. Contracted to a maximum. |
| Bulk densityGrams per litre | Governs fill weight and is stated for automated bag and sachet lines. |
| Sieve series declarationAperture in millimetres | The contract names the exact apertures and the mass retained on each, so the result is reproducible. |
Hygiene and microbiological requirements
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Steam pasteurisationDeclared treatment | Whether the lot was steam pasteurised, and the process parameters. Untreated lots are contracted separately. |
| Total plate countColony forming units per gram | Contracted to a maximum on the delivered lot. |
| Yeasts and mouldsColony forming units per gram | Contracted to a maximum. |
| EnterobacteriaceaeColony forming units per gram | Contracted to a maximum. |
| SalmonellaAbsence in a stated sample mass | Tested per lot, with the certificate travelling with the shipment. |
| Escherichia coliColony forming units per gram | Contracted to a maximum. |
| MoistureMaximum percentage by mass | Determined on the delivered lot. The ceiling is set low because the product is baled and shipped from a dry climate into humid destinations. |
| Water activityAw | Stated where the buyer needs assurance of shelf stability in a humid market. |
Composition and origin
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Total ashPercentage by mass | Mineral residue after incineration. |
| Acid insoluble ashPercentage by mass | Effectively sand and soil, which matters because the crop is sun dried on open courts. |
| Water extractPercentage by mass | The proportion soluble in hot water, the working measure of yield. |
| CaffeineAbsent | The plant contains no caffeine. Confirmed analytically where the buyer is making a decaffeinated claim. |
| TanninPercentage by mass | Naturally low. Determined where the buyer is formulating for infant or hospital catering. |
| Production area verificationDocumentary | The farm, the district and the processing court, evidenced under the protected designation of origin for Rooibos and Red Bush. |
| Wild harvested or cultivatedDeclared | Wild harvested Cederberg material is contracted and priced separately from cultivated plantation material. |
| Organic and fair trade certificationCertifier and certificate number | Where contracted, the certificate travels with the lot. |
| Pesticide residuesMilligrams per kilogram | Tested against destination market maximum residue limits. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | Africa | Origin |
| Germany | Europe | Destination |
| Netherlands | Europe | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Europe | Destination |
| France | Europe | Destination |
| Poland | Europe | Destination |
| Belgium | Europe | Destination |
| Austria | Europe | Destination |
| Switzerland | Europe | Destination |
| Spain | Europe | Destination |
| Italy | Europe | Destination |
| Sweden | Europe | Destination |
| Czechia | Europe | Destination |
| Russia | Europe | Destination |
| United States | North America | Destination |
| Canada | North America | Destination |
| Japan | East Asia | Destination |
| South Korea | East Asia | Destination |
| China | East Asia | Destination |
| Malaysia | Southeast Asia | Destination |
| Australia | Oceania | Destination |
| New Zealand | Oceania | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East | Destination |
| Namibia | Africa | Destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the crop is taken at origin. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is processing, grading and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jan to Apr, arrival Apr to AugThe Cederberg and Suid Bokkeveld harvest runs through the dry southern summer from January to April, when the bush can be cut and the shredded material sun dried on open courts. Processing, pasteurisation and grading follow within weeks, and graded stock then ships out of Cape Town through the balance of the year. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry, forward positions and stock already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for rooibos. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading1211.90 Plants and parts of plants used primarily in pharmacy or perfumery, including rooibos
- PackingTea in foil lined paper sacks, plywood chests or corrugated cartons of 20 kg to 60 kg. Green coffee in 60 kg or 69 kg jute bags, or 1 t bulk container liners with GrainPro or equivalent barrier for specialty lots. Cocoa in 62.5 kg or 65 kg jute bags.
- Container loading20ft: 18 t to 21 t bagged. 40ft: 24 t to 26 t with a bulk liner. Coffee and cocoa are weight limited, tea is volume limited.
- Contract and arbitrationCoffee on the European Coffee Contract or GCA terms with ICE Futures US as the price reference, arbitration under ECF or GCA rules. Cocoa on Federation of Cocoa Commerce or CMAA contracts with FCC arbitration in London. Tea on the rules of the selling auction centre or on the terms of the importing association.
- Destination limitsEU pesticide MRLs under Regulation 396/2005, where anthraquinone and glyphosate are the recurring tea failures. Ochratoxin A and aflatoxin limits and cadmium limits on cocoa under Regulation 2023/915. EUDR (Regulation 2023/1115) due diligence with plot geolocation applies to cocoa and coffee. US FDA import alerts apply to pesticide residues and to mould.
Common questions
What grades of rooibos does SIP Global trade?
We quote 30 published grades of rooibos, including Red rooibos - Fermented, Green rooibos - Unfermented, Oxidation duration - Hours, Colour measurement - CIELAB L a b on the dry leaf and on a standard infusion, Infusion colour - Standard brew comparison and Aspalathin - Percentage by mass. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is rooibos graded?
Rooibos is graded on colour and oxidation state, on cut and sieve fraction, and on the moisture and microbiological limits set for a product that is pasteurised rather than boiled during manufacture. Grading runs on 4 systems: Oxidation and colour, Cut and sieve fraction, Hygiene and microbiological requirements and Composition and origin.
Where does SIP Global trade rooibos?
We trade rooibos in South Africa, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom, France, Poland, Belgium and Austria and 16 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is rooibos harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are South Africa: harvest jan to apr, arrival apr to aug. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for rooibos?
Rooibos is normally classified under HS 1211.90 (plants and parts of plants used primarily in pharmacy or perfumery, including rooibos). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for rooibos?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 1 listed rooibos market is published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.