Rooibos, a popular South African tea, is undergoing a period of global revival, finding new applications and audiences worldwide while retaining its unique character. This classic product is now used far beyond the traditional cup, appearing in dishes such as ramen, lattes, cocktails, and desserts.
As rooibos crosses borders, chefs, producers, and consumers are adapting it to local tastes and traditions. It is used in everything from cold drinks and cocktails to kombucha, ice cream, and unexpected savory culinary delights.
Rooibos is exported to over 50 international markets, with Japan being the largest destination, accounting for 33% of exports in 2025. Strong international positions are supported by markets such as Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, and the USA.
Adel du Toit, a representative of the South African Rooibos Council (SARC), notes that versatility is one of rooibos' main strengths. She emphasizes that its naturally mild, slightly sweet, and caffeine-free taste allows it to be easily integrated into various culinary traditions. Whether used for making lattes, adding depth to savory dishes, flavoring desserts, or as a base for cocktails, rooibos gives people a familiar ingredient for experimenting in completely new formats.
Japan demonstrates a vivid example of rooibos integration into local food and beverage culture. Within Japanese culinary tradition, where ramen holds a central place, rooibos adds a unique South African accent. It is used in broth based on dashi from kombu and shiitake, as well as for marinating eggs.
At the renowned international ramen chain Ippudo, rooibos is served alongside ramen. In 2024, Ippudo expanded this concept by releasing a limited edition ramen where rooibos was included in the broth, alongside tonkotsu and Japanese kombu and shiitake dashi, and the egg was marinated in rooibos.
Clinton Gass, Managing Director of Rooibos Marketing Ltd, based in Japan, noted that the breakthrough occurred when the product was repositioned from a medicinal drink to a specialty tea. He reported that tea connoisseurs in the Japanese market embraced this transition, leading to a significant increase in exports.
The Japanese division of the international gastronomic brand DEAN & DELUCA combines rooibos with seasonal sweet potato in an inventive latte. This shift has helped rooibos gain a much wider role in Japan, transforming from a niche health product into an everyday beverage available in homes, convenience stores, cafes, and restaurants.
Beyond ramen, rooibos is popular in Japan: in 2023, Starbucks Japan added Rooibos Tea Latte to its main menu in specialized Tea & Café stores. This drink is made from rooibos, milk, and vanilla and can be served hot or cold. In 2024, Dean & Deluca Japan introduced Sweet Potato Latte, combining rooibos milk tea with sweet potato, which is a distinctly Japanese pairing demonstrating rooibos' use as a standalone flavor component.
In the UK, rooibos has long been popular and has become an integral part of the country's diverse tea and herbal culture. Dr. Sharon Hall, CEO of the British Tea and Infusions Association and President of the European Tea and Herbal Infusions Association, asserts that the broader category of herbal and fruit infusions, which includes rooibos, attracts a younger consumer base due to the focus on wellness.
According to her, modern consumers are becoming bolder in their drink choices, striving for flavor exploration, well-being, and variety. Rooibos is perfectly suited to meet this demand, whether consumed alone, mixed with other botanical additions, or presented in innovative formats appealing to youth.
In Britain, rooibos is also finding application in various new compositions. Tick Tock, a family tea brand that helped introduce rooibos to the UK in the 1970s, has a strong market presence. Its recipe collection includes products from rooibos iced tea and kombucha, as well as rooibos iced tea with Aperol Spritz and Earl Grey rooibos ice cream.
Rooibos brings a South African flair to favorite German dishes, such as rooibos soy latte macchiato. There are also recipes for curry made with sweet potato and chickpeas steeped in rooibos. These recipes show how rooibos' naturally mild and slightly sweet taste can harmoniously complement both modern creations and ancient regional flavors.
Across continental Europe, rooibos appears in various flavor combinations and formats. In Germany, it is most often drunk as a hot herbal infusion, especially popular as a base for flavored blends. Combinations with vanilla, caramel, citrus, and spices have long been established in the market and continue to attract buyers. Furthermore, rooibos is used in baking and various culinary purposes.
In France, rooibos is also integrated into desserts, drinks, and creative cocktails. One original example is the combination of cherries steeped in rooibos with a refreshing sorbet made from Flognarde. Bar Le Syndicat in Paris created the 'Tea Time du Syndicat' cocktail based on rooibos, mixed with lime, simple syrup, and sparkling water, which became popular among Parisian cocktail lovers. Another local favorite is the rooibos-el, a cognac-based cocktail combining rooibos with lemon, ginger ale, orange, and lime.
Hall notes that such experiments reflect the overall evolution of the European herbal and fruit infusion category, where brands are exploring unique flavor combinations and new moments of consumption.
In Canada and the USA, rooibos is increasingly used not just as an infusion, but as a platform for flavor and beverage. Its applications include milk-based lattes, mocktails, cocktails, and functional health blends. In Canada, rooibos-based products include dessert flavors like cinnamon masala tea and the former 'Rooibos Jelly Donut'. In the USA, rooibos lattes or 'red lattes' and 'red espressos' are used as caffeine-free coffee alternatives, often mixed with milk, honey, vanilla, or cinnamon.
Rooibos is also present in punches and cocktails, including the South African mango rooibos mint punch and the rooibos tea bourbon cocktail. Shabnam Weber, President of the Canadian Tea and Herb Association and the US Tea Association, says that the boundaries between traditional beverage categories are becoming increasingly blurred.
In her opinion, modern consumers are not limited to choosing between tea and coffee; they seek beverages that match a certain mood, moment, or need, and are willing to try ingredients and formats that offer something new. Rooibos fits organically into this space, as it can be drunk alone, mixed with other flavors, or used as a base for something entirely new. Weber concludes that it is wonderful to watch how a product closely associated with South Africa is accepted and reinterpreted by people around the world, without changing the essence of rooibos, but opening up new possibilities for it.
