Few things feel as rooted in South Africa as a pot of rooibos tea, and for the past eight decades, Laager Rooibos has been at the centre of that ritual. In 2025, the brand celebrates 80 years of bringing a familiar, caffeine-free comfort into South African homes — a reminder that some traditions endure, even as tastes and lifestyles evolve.
Rooibos, grown only in the Cederberg region of the Western Cape, has travelled far from its early use as a medicinal brew to become a fixture in kitchens, cafés, lunchboxes, and leisure. Laager has walked that journey too, steadily building a reputation for consistency and authenticity. It is also still the only rooibos tea bag endorsed by the Heart & Stroke Foundation South Africa, a link that underscores its place in both culture and wellness.
Health has become a central part of the brand’s work, with campaigns like the Laager Rooibos Heart Health Challenge encouraging South Africans to swap sugar-laden drinks for rooibos, exercise more, and make small but lasting changes. “Whether it’s a child sharing their first sip with ugogo, or a health-conscious adult choosing a natural, caffeine-free option, Laager Rooibos is always familiar, comforting, and good for you,” says dietitian Mbali Mapholi, who has partnered with the brand since 2020. She believes its endurance lies in consistency, and sees the future in wellness blends and in ensuring rooibos farming continues to benefit local communities.
For twin sisters and brand ambassadors Lebo and Tebo Ndala, rooibos is stitched into memory and identity. “Laager Rooibos has always been more than just tea; it’s a part of our culture,” says Tebo. Their first sips were shared with their grandmother in Mamelodi, where rooibos was a symbol of welcome. “Having our gran and Laager Rooibos both turn 80 in the same year feels like a full-circle moment,” adds Lebo. “It reminds us that the things tied to family, love, and heritage are the ones that endure.”
That idea of endurance is echoed by Candice Sessions, Marketing Manager for Laager Rooibos. “Laager Rooibos has survived and thrived through so many generations and changes because of its consistency and authenticity, and because it feels like home,” she says. For her, the brand’s path ahead will continue to be about connecting health, heritage, and community in ways that feel both familiar and relevant.
Eighty years on, Laager Rooibos is more than a beverage brand. It is part of South Africa’s shared story — one that blends culture and comfort, wellness and ritual, and a taste that continues to feel like home.
First published on Hospitality Marketplace.
