News from the farm

As you know by now, conservation farming is our heart. As always, we are looking for the best products, the best equipment and the most effective way to combat disease so that we can keep supplying top quality rooibos direct from the farm to you, our customer.

The harvesting season is at hand but first we took a look at our planting, growing and risk management challenges and opportunities. At a recent suppliers’ meeting the latest equipment and products were discussed to ensure the best possible harvest and top rooibos tea quality.

In our efforts to maintain the norms we strive to uphold, and to ensure safe consuming of our product, we invited Prof Ben-Erik Van Wyk, Internationally recognised botanist from Univ of Johannesburg and Dr. Marietjie Stander, analytical chemist at the Stellenbosch University, to highlight the latest research being done in the field of foreign weeds and plants and how to detect them.

Gilbert Theron from Afgri also joins our quest with their conviction that “Great companies have a sense of purpose that goes deeper than the bottomline”. Jaco Visser from Viking ensures our drive for ‘healthy soil, healthy roots’ continues successfully.

The evening was concluded with our MD Mientjie Mouton reiterating the importance of our certifications, such as Organic, Rain Forest Alliance /UTZ and Fair Trade Standards and Practices, which ensure continuity and quality, that enable us to remain the preferred rooibos supplier in the product health category.

Despite many new product developments in rooibos field, Carmién Tea, in the speciality tea segment, remains high in popularity, esp. based on our great taste profile built up over many years, plus our consistent quality and excellent variety of products and natural herbal blends.

Underlying our success are these foundational principles: maintaining quality of product, strong social responsibility, food safety and sustainability.

She concludes,“ It’s not just about doing things right but doing ordinary things extra-ordinary”