Carmien Tea’s head office is situated on the historic Brakfontein Estate near the small town of Citrusdal. Located on the foothills of the Western Cape’s splendid Cedarberg Mountains, the farm falls within the Greater Cedarberg Biodiversity Corridor and is a 2 hour drive from Cape Town.
The narrow 60 000 hectare belt along the West Coast of South Africa is the only place in the world where Rooibos tea can be grown. This area is also one of the world’s six Plant Kingdoms. The typical Mediterranean climate, ideal temperatures, rainfall and sunshine, offers the natural terroir needed for Rooibos to be cultivated in harmony with nature. The sandy slopes and undulating valleys of the rugged Cedarberg Mountain Range provide the perfect habitat for Rooibos.
Since the deregulation of the Rooibos industry in 1993, Carmien Tea has established itself as the second largest producer and supplier of quality packaged retail Rooibos tea products in South Africa. The company is also a successful bulk tea exporter and private label packer to many countries around the globe. Carmien Tea secures the best quality organic Rooibos from prime growing areas such as Piekenierskloof, Nieuwoudville, Wupperthal and Gifberg.
The Carmien Rooibos range is available in organic (bio) and/or regular (conventional) products and is produced on Fairtrade principles. Carmien Tea is offering superior quality products at competitive prices, direct from the farm, to their customers whilst ensuring total food traceability in the food chain.
“We pride ourselves on what we have achieved since we were allowed to produce, process and market our products on an independent basis outside the single channel Rooibos marketing board that monopolised the South African Rooibos industry until 1993”, said Mientjie Mouton, the managing director of Carmien Tea. “We offer quality products, the company is customer and market driven, we invest in our people and support the local community to ensure production stability and a rewarding future for all involved … for generations to come.”
Since 2001, Carmien Tea is also a vehicle of empowerment aiming to provide sustainable jobs and broad based wealth creation for their farm workers as an independent marketing company. Strategic partnerships with like minded commercial and Fairtrade producers, e.g. Bergendal Farming Operations, led to the foundation of Bergendal Rooibos, a Rooibos processing plant and joint venture between Bergendal farm workers, Bergendal Farming Operations and Carmien Tea.
Carmien Tea actively supports community development on shareholder’s farms. The company furthermore is committed to women- and childcare in the broader community through its partnership with Ubuntu Citrusdal.