Wupperthal

This cooperative was founded in 2009 and consists of about 100 people, who have been working in rooibos production since 1998. A turning point for the cooperative came when it achieved Fairtrade certification at the beginning of 2010. The members work as a team and support each other in the development of the cooperative, their skills and improvements in production.

Fairtrade guarantees a minimum price for the purchase of rooibos, which is much higher than the conventional market price. This means a drastic improvement in the incomes of small farmers, and represents a great opportunity for producer organisations to benefit from their work and to invest in their own development. After the hard struggle to break free from the colonialist plantation model, from apartheid and to end the structured racism, inequality and exploitation of farmers, being able to benefit from their work has been a big change for them.