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  • 1994

    Our journey began…

    • Joe and Jonathan started Joekels in Joe’s garage
    • Moved into first official work building in 13 Devro Park
    • Staff count – 5 people
    • Launched our first tea brand, Phendula Tips
  • 1997

    Each day we grew, and so did our success

    • Won Sanlam Entrepreneur of the Year Award
    • Launched Tea Time Black Tea
    • Staff count – 5 people
    • Moved into a bigger space at 14 Devro Park
  • 2000

    Just like that, things started to happen

    • Launched the world’s first Tea4Kidz (under the Phendula brand)
    • Starting packing Spar housebrand, Savemore Black Tea
    • Nominated for Marketing Award from the Institute of Marketing Management
  • 2003

    Little by little, we reached new goals

    • Purchased Laager Rooibos from Unilever
    • Launched Tea for Me
    • Moved into a bigger place to pack Laager at 12 Caversham Road
  • 2005

    Suddenly, we were a household name

    • Launched San Aqua Rooibos Iced Tea Tetley bought a 33.3% equity in Joekels
    • Received a Bronze Award from the Food & Wine Show for Best Speciality Product Display
    • Became a member of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry
  • 2007

    We grew our range…

    • Launched Laager Herbals range (Green Rooibos, Green Citrus & Ginger Rooibos, Rooibos & Honeybush)
    • Moved Tea4Kidz into the Laager range
    • Purchased Teeco and Southall’s from CTC (Coffee, Tea and Chocolate Company)
  • 2009

    … And we expanded more than we thought possible

    • Launched Tetley Big Tea
    • Launched Boxer Black
    • Tetley took a further equity stake of 17.7% in the business (Total 51%)
    • Launched Laager Shake4Kidz and Laager Rooibos Cappuccino
  • 2011

    Once again we moved to bigger premises

    • Certificate of acceptability for food premises obtained
    • Bigger is Better: Moved to 23-33 Hagart road
  • 2013

    We filled even more cups, this time with new flavours

    • Secured Organic and Kosher certifications
    • Launched Tea Time Rooibos and Boxer Rooibos
    • Launched Shoprite Housebrand cappuccino, Antigua
  • 2015

    And then?

    • Awarded Big Brand of the Year by Shoprite Group
    • First consumer communication
    • Launched Laager Facebook
    • Page and Tea4Kidz website
  • 2017

    And now?

    • Launched Tetley Green tea -
    • #2 Pure Green Tea in 6 months
    • Record Black tea production at Joekels factory (279 tons in 1 month)
  • 2018

    Lebo and Tebo

    • Laager partnered with twin chefs, Lebo & Tebo Ndala

We are the tea masters. Here at Joekels, we pack, blend and distribute some of South Africa’s most popular household tea brands. It all began in 1994, when Joe Swart and Jonathan Kelsey joined forces and names (Joe Swart + Jonathan Kelsey) to create Joekels Tea Packers.

Copyright 2018 Joekels