In early days, axes were used to chop up the rooibos plants after harvesting, the small stems and needle-like leaves were bruised with hammers, then left to ferment in heaps. Finally, the leaves were dried under the hot African sun, scooped up and taken to the kitchen where rooibos tea simmered all day on wood-burning stoves.
Today, rooibos is still processed in much the same way, but the methods have been
mechanised and refined. The producers of Intaba Teas maintain strict hygiene and care throughout processing, including steam pasteurization, to ensure a product which conforms to internationally recognized Quality and Food Safety standards. To guarantee added freshness and purity, Intaba tea bags are enclosed in a sealed foil pouch.