honey bush tea - Department of Agriculture: Western Cape

In addition, the Europeans have a longer history of the use of natural products with
medicinal properties for the treatment of dermatological compositions with Chamomile
being among the top three selling preparation to this usage (Chung, 2000). Therefore
honeybush, like rooibos, has unprecedented market opportunities in skin care products
and hence in the cosmetic industry.
2.2.7 Organic and Fair Trade
In Europe, there is a growing demand for organic products. Total sales of organic food
in Europe were estimated at €10 billion in 2002. The average growth rate annually is
estimated between 5-15%. The Germany alone amounted to €3 billion of total sales in
2002, the Netherlands (€380 million) and UK (€1,45 billion) (www.sippo.ch)
There is also a growing demand for fair trade products, although still a very small
proportion of international trade like organic products. The fair trade market accounts
for US$ 400 million in retail sales each year in Europe and the USA, or 0.01% of global
trade. In Europe sales of fair trade products through alternative channels and
supermarkets is calculated to be at least $228 million. The fair trade product with the
highest market share is banana in Switzerland which has achieved 15%, but elsewhere
the market share for fair trade products such as tea and coffee is at most 2.7%. An
increasing number of products are being traded on the basis of fair trade relationships
and some producers that learned about export under the tutelage of fair trade partners
are now able to enter conventional export markets (Tallontire, 2001).
Since these two systems, organic and fair trade complement one another, fair trade
organisations have become an important distribution channel for organic products in
Europe, particularly in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, but also in a number
of other markets. As one of the traditionally fairly traded products, the market for
organic teas is growing strongly and Fair Trade organisations are pioneering work to
develop environmentally-sensitive production and cultivation methods. Honeybush from
Haarlem has already received the fair trade status which is an added advantage and is
believed to be a start to other lucrative markets.
“If it has a fair trade status, it’s a bonus, and if also organic, it’s a double bonus”.
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