Report Coverage
This report focuses on the tea and coffee industry in South Africa, including the rooibos and honeybush industries. It includes information on production, processing, sales and retail outlets, the sharp rise in prices, consumption and the current position of state-backed tea estates. Notable players, investments and developments are discussed. There are profiles of 32 companies including major processors and suppliers such as Unilever, National Brands and Nestlé, coffee companies such as Famous Brands Coffee Company, tea companies such as Joekels Tea Packers and rooibos and honeybush companies such as Cape Rooibos, Rooibos Ltd, Melmont Honeybush Tea, Agulhas Honeybush Tea and Bitou Honeybush.
Introduction
• While a small amount of coffee and black tea is produced locally, the country relies almost entirely on imports.
• Coffee and tea imports grew by 10% in 2024.
• Coffee prices, despite edging down since March 2025, have climbed to record highs recently, while tea prices have also seen marked increases.
• This has led to consumers trading down or cutting back.
• Nevertheless, demand for ground coffee is growing, driven by a growing coffee culture which is fuelling the growth of coffee outlets.
• Record coffee price increases could put coffee shops under pressure.
• The sector faces challenges including climate change, land expropriation and low economic growth which could limit demand for high-end tea and speciality coffee products.
Trends
• A number of coffee shops use loyalty programmes to drive sales.
• Bubble tea shops are becoming popular, following the global trend.
• Consumers are demanding traceability of their coffee beans.
• Demand for specialty coffee and high quality ground coffee is growing.
• Matcha, a green tea juice, is sought after by people looking for healthy drink alternatives.
• Rapid expansion of coffee shops.
• Rooibos extracts are increasingly being used as skincare and healthcare products.
• Significant coffee and tea price increases.
• Tea
• The healthy food and drinks trend is driving demand for functional tea products.
• The trend in convenience is driving the growth of capsule and ready-to-drink products.
Opportunities
• Importing coffee in a strategic way from certain regions or using containers to hedge high prices.
• Selling and exporting health teas like rooibos and honeybush.
• Speciality coffee shops.
• Tea shops, specifically bubble tea.
Challenges
• Climate change threatens to reduce the areas where coffee and tea can be grown.
• Coffee and tea prices have increased significantly in recent years.
• Government funded tea estates have become unsustainable.
• Low economic growth and weak consumer spend.
• The cost of raw materials has increased significantly.
• The honeybush tea sector has a number of challenges, including onerous compliance and certification requirements.
• There is some concern that the coffee shops sector is overtraded.
• Water outages.
Outlook
• Coffee prices are forecast to increase.
• Some players are predicting a coffee shortage if prices continue to rise.
• If prices lead to customers reducing their spending, some coffee shop chains are going to be under pressure.
• However, demand for ground coffee remains strong.
• Local black tea consumption has been declining, while rooibos consumption has been stagnant, but the healthy drinks trend is likely to drive demand for rooibos and honeybush tea

Full Report
R 20 000.00(ZAR) estimated $1120.14 (USD)*
Industry Landscape
R 14 000.00(ZAR) estimated $ 784.10 (USD)*
Historical Reports
The Tea and Coffee Industry in South Africa 2020-05-25
R 1 900.00(ZAR) estimated $106.41 (USD)*
View Report Add to CartThe Tea and Coffee Industry in South Africa 2018-03-27
R 1 900.00(ZAR) estimated $106.41 (USD)*
View Report Add to CartThe Tea and Coffee Industry in South Africa 2016-02-08
R 1 900.00(ZAR) estimated $106.41 (USD)*
View Report Add to CartThe Tea and Coffee Industry in South Africa 2014-04-28
R 1 900.00(ZAR) estimated $106.41 (USD)*
View Report Add to CartTable of Contents
[ Close ]PAGE | ||
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1. | INTRODUCTION | 1 |
2. | DESCRIPTION OF THE INDUSTRY | 1 |
2.1. | Industry Value Chain | 6 |
2.2. | Geographic Position | 7 |
2.3. | Size of the Industry | 8 |
3. | LOCAL | 11 |
3.1. | State of the Industry | 11 |
3.2. | Key Trends | 23 |
3.3. | Key Issues | 23 |
3.4. | Notable Players | 23 |
3.5. | Trade | 25 |
3.6. | Corporate Actions | 31 |
3.7. | Regulations | 31 |
3.8. | Enterprise Development and Social Development | 32 |
4. | AFRICA | 34 |
5. | INTERNATIONAL | 36 |
6. | INFLUENCING FACTORS | 40 |
6.1. | Economic Environment | 40 |
6.2. | Labour | 41 |
6.3. | Environmental Issues | 41 |
6.4. | Technology, R&D, Innovation | 43 |
6.5. | Government Support | 44 |
6.6. | Input Costs | 44 |
6.7. | Land Reform Policy | 44 |
7. | COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT | 45 |
7.1. | Competition | 45 |
7.2. | Ownership Structure of the Industry | 46 |
7.3. | Barriers to Entry | 46 |
8. | INDUSTRY SUMMARY | 47 |
9. | OUTLOOK | 48 |
10. | INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS | 48 |
11. | REFERENCES | 48 |
11.1. | Publications | 48 |
11.2. | Websites | 49 |
APPENDIX 1 | 51 | |
Summary of Notable Players | 51 | |
APPENDIX 2 | 54 | |
List of HS Codes Covered | 54 | |
COMPANY PROFILES | 55 | |
AGULHAS HONEYBUSH TEA CC | 55 | |
BEAN THERE COFFEE COMPANY (PTY) LTD | 57 | |
BIG FIVE ROOIBOS COMPANY (PTY) LTD (THE) | 59 | |
BREWKOMBUCHA (PTY) LTD | 60 | |
CACO SERVICES (PTY) LTD | 61 | |
CAPE NATURAL TEA PRODUCTS (PTY) LTD | 63 | |
CAPE ROOIBOS (PTY) LTD | 65 | |
CARMIEN TEA (PTY) LTD | 67 | |
CLIPPER COFFEE AND TEA CC | 69 | |
COLOMBO BREW CO (PTY) LTD | 70 | |
FAMOUS BRANDS COFFEE COMPANY (PTY) LTD | 71 | |
GLOBAL COFFEE EXPORTS (PTY) LTD | 73 | |
HAPPY CULTURE KOMBUCHA (PTY) LTD | 75 | |
HONEY BUSH PROCESSING (PTY) LTD | 76 | |
HONEYBUSH NATURAL PRODUCTS (PTY) LTD | 77 | |
JOEKELS TEA PACKERS (PTY) LTD | 78 | |
L C PACKAGING (S A) (PTY) LTD | 80 | |
MASTERTONS COFFEE AND TEA SPECIALISTS (PTY) LTD | 81 | |
MELMONT HONEYBUSH TEA CC | 83 | |
NATIONAL BRANDS LTD | 84 | |
NESTLE (SOUTH AFRICA) (PTY) LTD | 86 | |
PEACOCK TEA AND COFFEE (PTY) LTD | 89 | |
RED T COMPANY (PTY) LTD (THE) | 91 | |
ROOIBOS LTD | 92 | |
SABIE VALLEY COFFEE CC | 94 | |
SANPEACE (PTY) LTD | 96 | |
SKIMMELBERG (PTY) LTD | 97 | |
TEA AND COFFEE DISTRIBUTORS (EASTERN PROVINCE) (PTY) LTD | 98 | |
THEONISTA (PTY) LTD | 99 | |
UNILEVER SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD | 100 | |
UNION HAND ROASTED (PTY) LTD | 103 | |
VIDA E CAFFE HOLDINGS (PTY) LTD | 104 |