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The taste of tea is timeless, and rooibos (pronounced “roy-bows”) is one of the oldest. The taste is garnering new and larger audiences of late. Its versatility might be to thank for that popularity. It can be served hot or cold and its sweet and mild flavor makes it ideal for pairing with other flavors. Furthermore, rooibos is said to offer specific health benefits attractive to some consumers. Is the healthy halo of rooibos right for your product development? Let’s take a closer look at the uses of rooibos on menus, social media mentions and global new products.
Rooibos as a Functional Beverage
Rooibos is a broom-like plant with leaves that resemble needles. A member of the legume family, its leaves are the edible part of the plant. Once the plant is harvested, the leaves are oxidized (also referred to as fermented) to create tea leaves. Oxidized tea leaves have a reddish-brown hue that gives the tea leaves an enhanced flavor (compared to unoxidized green leaves that have a malty and slightly grassy flavor.) Both processes maintain the natural high levels of vitamin C along with powerful antioxidants and many essential minerals. Some claim rooibos aids in weight loss, improves the appearance of skin, alleviates pain, soothes allergies and streamlines digestion.
Rooibos & Geographic Indicator Status
Rooibos means “red bush” in Afrikaans. In 2014, South Africa achieved geographic indicator status in an economic partnership agreement with the EU. Says the Guardian: Traditionally, rooibos grows in the Cederberg mountains 150 miles north of Cape Town. South Africa began exporting the tea in 1904.
Rooibos Social Listening Summary
Check out FONA’s social listening analysis on rooibos, covering the previous six months. Rooibos enjoys 80% positive perception.
1 mention per minute.
Key Consumer Voice: 78% Female
Popular Hashtags: #brew #latte #iced #tea #coffeeKey Consumer Interests
1) Food & Drink
2) Non-Alcoholic Beverages
3) Desserts & Baking
Top Posts:
Twitter: @teacentralnet “seared tuna with tangerine, rooibos and watermelon”
Twitter: @rooibosrocks “rooibos panna cotta with poached grapefruit”
Consumer Perception:
When asked about their perception, consumers polled view rooibos flavored products as both natural and unique.
22 rooibos recipes on genius kitchen
On Genius Kitchen, formerly food.com, 22 recipes appear when you search rooibos. Recipes include fresh iced tea, forest fruit tea, African red bush tea, vanilla rooibos tea lattes, smoothies, juices, summer coolers and more.
A Buzz-Free Brew
Providing a tasty beverage without the caffeine buzz, rooibos also offers a number of surprising health benefits. This is mostly because of the fact that rooibos is, botanically speaking, not a “tea” plant at all but a legume, making it more closely related to plants like beans, peas and lentils, all of which are known for their healthy makeup. Unlike regular teas, which are made from plants in the Camellia genus, rooibos offers a nutrient profile that is extremely high in antioxidants but is also caffeine-free and low in tannins.
99 rooibos mentions on the menu
Fine, upscale, and gourmet dining is the top segment, with beverage and dessert as the top two menu sections with the most rooibos flavored items. Non-alcoholic beverages account for 75% of all rooibos-flavored menu items.
MENU MENTIONS:
861 rooibos flavored new product introductions
GLOBAL FAST FACTS:
EUROPE is the top global region for rooibos new product introductions.
TEA is the top product sub-category globally.
HERBS/HERBAL is the top flavor paired with rooibos
Product Examples
76 rooibos flavored new product introductions
NORTH AMERICA FAST FACTS:
NORTH AMERICA accounts for 8.8% of all rooibos flavored new product introductions.
TEA is the top sub-category in North America for rooibos flavored new products.
HERBS/HERBAL is the top flavor paired with rooibos.
Product Examples
An article from Mintel cites that herbal infusions can boost health credentials for RTDs, specifically, 84% of global consumers believe herbal infusions such as teas are good for specific functional benefits. However, the share of functional claims in beverages has declined steadily since 2014. With rooibos’ history as a medicinal ingredient and strong association with health benefits, the usage of rooibos in beverages would allow developers to make functional claims and attract consumers attention. Can your brand tap into this segment of the market that has been put on the back burner?
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What does true partnership look like? You deserve a flavor partner ready to turn these trends into the tangible.
Let FONA’s market insight and research experts get to work for you. Translate these trends into bold new ideas for your brand. Increase market share and get to your “what’s next.” Our technical flavor and product development experts are also at your service to help meet the labeling and flavor profile needs for your products to capitalize on this consumer trend. Let’s mesh the complexities of flavor with your brand development, technical requirements and regulatory needs to deliver a complete taste solution.
From concept to manufacturing, we’re here for you — every step of the way. Contact our sales service department at 630.578.8600 to request a flavor sample or chat us up at www.fona.com/contact-fona/
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