WATCH: Spilling the tea on Clanwilliam, the home of Rooibos

The House of Rooibos in Clanwilliam. Picture Nathan Adams

The House of Rooibos in Clanwilliam. Picture Nathan Adams

Published Aug 7, 2019

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South Africans often take for granted that Rooibos is a part of our everyday and so readily available to us.

The House of Rooibos in Clanwilliam is a chance to pass and smell the Rooibos in all it's shapes, colours and forms.

This is a multi-billion rand industry - if not more - and the little town of Clanwilliam, about 250km from Cape Town has been at the heart of the Rooibos story.

Rooibos Ltd owns and manages The House of Rooibos, which isn't new but only recently opened the doors of a new, more modern facility in the heart of the town.

Of course you can browse Rooibos products, from the various teas, cosmetics and sandwich spreads, but there's also a far more interesting way to interact with this uniquely South African product.

In the auditorium space you'll be able to learn about the history, production and application of Rooibos and it's a vast industry that stretches beyond what I imagined it to be.

This is a very modern installation and there is audio-visual material available in different languages, English, Afrikaans, German, Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish, Italian - a testament to the popularity Rooibos has with both local and international visitors.

Not withstanding periods of droughts, the Clanwilliam area produces about 15 000 to 16 000 tons of Rooibos every year.

You get to taste the Rooibos in the very quaint tea room as well. I'd recommend a Rooibos Cappucino and a Rooibos muffin to nibble on while you take in the magic of this proudly South African export.

WATCH: A quick tour of The House of Rooibos

Address: 4 Voortrekker Street, Clanwilliam, Western Cape

Contact Number: 027 482 2155

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