Benjamin Ginsberg (businessman) facts for kids

Benjamin Ginsberg was a businessman from South Africa. He is known for being the first person to sell rooibos tea widely. He was born in Moscow, Russian Empire, on January 15, 1886, and passed away in Cape Town, South Africa, on February 14, 1944.

Benjamin Ginsberg's Early Life and Rooibos Discovery

After the Second Boer War, Benjamin Ginsberg moved to the Cederberg area in South Africa. He joined his father, who had a trading post near Clanwilliam, Western Cape.

Around 1903, Benjamin traveled through the valleys and mountains, selling goods. He walked and used a mule cart. During this time, he learned about rooibos tea. He was introduced to rooibos in the Grootkloof valley. He might have tried the tea when visiting local farmers. He also saw people harvesting and preparing rooibos at tea stations.

How Benjamin Ginsberg Started the Rooibos Business

Ginsberg began buying rooibos from the harvesters. Then, he sold it to his customers in the area. By 1912, he moved to Clanwilliam and opened his own shop. From there, he grew his business across the Cederberg region and beyond. He also encouraged local farmers to collect and process rooibos on a larger scale.

Growing Rooibos: A Team Effort

By the late 1920s, more and more people wanted rooibos tea. This caused a problem because there weren't enough wild rooibos plants. To solve this, Dr. Pieter Lefras Nortier, a doctor and nature lover from Clanwilliam, suggested growing rooibos on farms.

Dr. Nortier worked with farmers Oloff Bergh and William Riordan to develop a special type of rooibos plant for farming. Benjamin Ginsberg encouraged their efforts. The type of rooibos developed by Dr. Nortier became very important. It helped the rooibos industry grow, creating jobs and income for people in the areas where rooibos is grown.

The Eleven O'Clock Tea Brand

Benjamin Ginsberg created the oldest existing brand of packaged rooibos tea, called "Eleven O’Clock." This brand is still popular today.

The Business Continues with Charles Ginsberg

After Benjamin Ginsberg passed away, his son Charles took over the business. Charles brought in new machines to cut the rooibos leaves. He also built large areas on his farms to dry the tea under the hot Cederberg sun.

Charles soon supplied rooibos seeds to many farmers. He also promoted the Eleven O'Clock brand. He highlighted its healthy qualities, like being caffeine-free. He advertised in many ways, including in cinemas, which was new in South Africa at the time. Charles started selling the tea internationally. Even though he sold the business in the 1970s, the brand is still widely sold. The unique 1940s Eleven O'Clock packaging, showing a mother and daughter serving tea, looks almost the same even now.

In the 1990s, more people around the world became interested in different teas. This led to a big increase in demand for rooibos tea, especially through supermarkets.