I’m a coffee lover who also drinks tea, and visiting Carmien Tea has been on my list for a while. During a recent visit to Citrusdal, we decided to pop in. Carmien Tea is one of those products that make you proud to be South African. I’ll get to that part soon, but let’s start off with the tea itself.
First, the packaging is incredible! You know exactly what you’re going to get, with each box carefully designed to represent what’s inside. They offer a huge range of teas for different tastes or reasons. Do you want to be more relaxed, refreshed, delighted, focused, energised, or cleansed? Don’t worry, there’s a tea for that! We were fortunate enough to taste four varieties during our visit. We tried the Green rooibos, fennel and aniseed (soothe), Masala chai with turmeric (focus), Mint and watermelon-strawberry (summerfresh), and the Red mocha. Warren was a fan of the red mocha, while I loved the watermelon, and I’m now on a mission to try all the fruity ones. They have also introduced a kids’ and babies range, as well as a range of mamma teas (including woman’s support, morning and nursing). They have a great selection for gift ideas, including double-wall tea glasses, cast iron and glass teapots, wooden boxes with a variety of tea favours, and gift sets.
The tea, however, is not the only thing that makes this company so special. Carmien Tea is on a mission to provide sustainable jobs and broad-based wealth creation for their farm workers as an independent marketing company. The workers own 50% of the exclusive production & packing facility – Bergendal Rooibos, thereby encouraging community development. I was blown away by their work ethics, and only wish other companies could adopt this policy.
Having a school/crèche on site means that the workers are assured safety for their children while at work. They also love getting the children involved, as you can see from their recent recycle project launch. Here, the children were asked to make cards from recycled material. The cards were then sent with every purchase from their online store. The project was a great way to bring their consumers closer to the Carmién Tea farming community. It also gave the kids an opportunity to develop their creativity, as well as showing them how to eliminate waste through recycling. Getting the children involved is just one of the many ways they are always giving back to the community.
This is a family-run business, so a lot of love goes into the day-to-day running of the farm. They’re committed to keeping their company safe and healthy to both the customer and the environment. Their promise to the consumers can be seen on the packaging seals: Social goodness, health goodness, flavour goodness, and eco-goodness. The rooibos plant is part of our natural fynbos, making this a proudly South African product. Although, judging by the amount of overseas orders that I saw during my visit, it’s clear this is just as loved internationally.
So, the next time you take a sip of your favourite Carmien Tea remember how much love went into that cup. Let’s support this company that is so lovingly supporting all of us.
Carmien Tea is naturally caffeine-free, preservative-free, and kilojoule-free. It is high in anti-oxidants, low in tannin, anti-spasmodic, and suitable for babies and children. It alleviates allergies, soothes the nervous system and provides relief for skin conditions. It’s also delicious.
Anyway, I better go. The kettle is on…
Make a trip out of it.
Carmien Tea is located on the West Coast Way Berg Route. Combine your trip with a stay over at Piekenierskloof Mountain Resort. After that take a short drive to Kardoesie and try out their famous pie and chips for lunch. Visit www.westcoastway.co.za for more information on the best #westcoastway experiences. Here you’ll find five route ideas, each offering their own unique attractions!
Find Carmien Tea on the West Coast Way Berg Route
Where: Bergendal Farm, Paleisheuwel Road, Citrusdal
Contact: +27 (0)22 921 8900 | [email protected]
Pairing at Hebron
Tea, wine and flavour pairing R50 per person at Hebron (Wednesday – Sundays) situated on the Piekenierskloof Pass on the N7
Tea, wine and meal pairings start at R150 per person at Hebron (Wednesdays – Sundays) situated on the Piekenierskloof Pass on the N7
Hebron Tasting Room: [email protected] | [email protected]
Written by Christine Bernard Photography by Warren Bernard
Photos by Warren Bernard (www.flatwhiteimages.com)
West Coast Way is Your Route To Nature
West Coast Way is your ultimate gateway to experiencing the natural beauty and cultural richness of the Cape West Coast of South Africa. As a premium tourism brand, we offer six uniquely themed trip plans that promise an unforgettable journey: Cape, Culture, Foodie, Tractor, Berg, and Wild.
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