Benjamin Ginsberg (businessman)
Encyclopedia
In 1904, Benjamin Ginsberg, a Russian immigrant and pioneer in the Cederberg
region of the Cape, South Africa
, became the first to trade Rooibos
(Red Bush) tea and cultivate it under production.
The Bushmen
, who lived in the area, first discovered that the fine, needle-like leaves of the "Aspalathus Linearis" plant made a distinctive, aromatic tea. For centuries, they had harvested the wild-growing plants, chopped them with axes and then bruised them with hammers, leaving them to ferment in heaps before drying them in the sun. In 1904, Benjamin Ginsberg started trading the tea from the Bushmen
, distributing and marketing it throughout the Cape. Ginsberg was descended from a family that had been in the tea industry in Europe for centuries and this provided him with the necessary experience to market the tea successfully. Although a direct heir to the three family baronies, Ginsberg refrained from using his title.
By the late 1920s, growing demand for the tea led to problems with supply of the wild Red Bush plants. Working with his friend, a local GP
and keen botanist, Ginsberg used innovative germination techniques to cultivate the tea under production.
After Benjamin's death in 1944, his son Charles took over the business, introducing sophisticated machinery to cut the unusual leaves and building large “courts” on his farms in which to dry and cure the tea under the hot Cederberg
sun. He was soon supplying tea seed to hundreds of farmers and promoting his Eleven O' Clock brand and its healthful properties (e.g. caffeine
-free) across a variety of channels, including cinema advertising, which was still new to South Africa
. Charles began distributing internationally and, although he sold the business in the 1970s, the brand is still widely distributed and the distinctive 1940's Eleven O' Clock packaging, depicting a mother and daughter serving tea, remains almost unchanged.
In the 1990s, spurred on by greater consumer awareness of different teas, brand diversity and mainstream distribution (particularly through supermarkets), international demand for Red Bush tea increased dramatically.
Cederberg
The Cederberg mountains and nature reserve are located near Clanwilliam, approximately 300 km north of Cape Town, South Africa at about . The mountain range is named after the endangered Clanwilliam Cedar , which is a tree endemic to the area. The mountains are noted for dramatic rock...
region of the Cape, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, became the first to trade Rooibos
Rooibos
Rooibos is a broom-like member of the legume family of plants growing in South Africa's fynbos.The generic name comes from the plant Calicotome villosa, aspalathos in Greek. This plant has very similar growth and flowers to the redbush...
(Red Bush) tea and cultivate it under production.
The Bushmen
Bushmen
The indigenous people of Southern Africa, whose territory spans most areas of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola, are variously referred to as Bushmen, San, Sho, Barwa, Kung, or Khwe...
, who lived in the area, first discovered that the fine, needle-like leaves of the "Aspalathus Linearis" plant made a distinctive, aromatic tea. For centuries, they had harvested the wild-growing plants, chopped them with axes and then bruised them with hammers, leaving them to ferment in heaps before drying them in the sun. In 1904, Benjamin Ginsberg started trading the tea from the Bushmen
Bushmen
The indigenous people of Southern Africa, whose territory spans most areas of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola, are variously referred to as Bushmen, San, Sho, Barwa, Kung, or Khwe...
, distributing and marketing it throughout the Cape. Ginsberg was descended from a family that had been in the tea industry in Europe for centuries and this provided him with the necessary experience to market the tea successfully. Although a direct heir to the three family baronies, Ginsberg refrained from using his title.
By the late 1920s, growing demand for the tea led to problems with supply of the wild Red Bush plants. Working with his friend, a local GP
General practitioner
A general practitioner is a medical practitioner who treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. They have particular skills in treating people with multiple health issues and comorbidities...
and keen botanist, Ginsberg used innovative germination techniques to cultivate the tea under production.
After Benjamin's death in 1944, his son Charles took over the business, introducing sophisticated machinery to cut the unusual leaves and building large “courts” on his farms in which to dry and cure the tea under the hot Cederberg
Cederberg
The Cederberg mountains and nature reserve are located near Clanwilliam, approximately 300 km north of Cape Town, South Africa at about . The mountain range is named after the endangered Clanwilliam Cedar , which is a tree endemic to the area. The mountains are noted for dramatic rock...
sun. He was soon supplying tea seed to hundreds of farmers and promoting his Eleven O' Clock brand and its healthful properties (e.g. caffeine
Caffeine
Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants...
-free) across a variety of channels, including cinema advertising, which was still new to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Charles began distributing internationally and, although he sold the business in the 1970s, the brand is still widely distributed and the distinctive 1940's Eleven O' Clock packaging, depicting a mother and daughter serving tea, remains almost unchanged.
In the 1990s, spurred on by greater consumer awareness of different teas, brand diversity and mainstream distribution (particularly through supermarkets), international demand for Red Bush tea increased dramatically.