Raw Materials
Dried Tea Leaves
HS Code
090240
Last Updated
2026-05-09
Key takeaways for search and sourcing teams
- South Africa Loose Leaf Tea market intelligence page includes 0 premium suppliers.
- 5 sampled export transactions for South Africa are summarized.
- 4 export partner companies and 19 import partner companies are mapped for Loose Leaf Tea in South Africa.
- Wholesale sample entries: 0; farmgate sample entries: 0.
- 5 export partner countries and 0 import partner countries are ranked.
- Latest reference year in this page dataset is 2024.
- Page data last updated on 2026-05-09.
Loose Leaf Tea Export Supplier Intelligence, Price Trends, and Trade Flows in South Africa
4 export partner companies are tracked for Loose Leaf Tea in South Africa. Use Supply Chain Intelligence company profiles and analytics to validate exporter coverage, partner quality, and route priorities.
Explore Loose Leaf Tea export intelligence in South Africa, including 5 sampled supplier transactions, monthly unit-price ranges, and partner-country trade flow patterns for HS Code 090240.
Scatter points are sampled from 95.5% of the full transaction dataset.
Sample Export Supplier Transaction Records for Loose Leaf Tea in South Africa
5 sampled Loose Leaf Tea transactions in South Africa include date, origin, and partner-country context to benchmark export prices and supplier trading patterns.
Loose Leaf Tea sampled transaction unit prices by date in South Africa: 2026-02-23: 23.53 USD / kg, 2026-02-18: 25.00 USD / kg, 2026-02-14: 22.22 USD / kg, 2026-02-09: 18.63 USD / kg, 2026-02-05: 20.59 USD / kg.
| Date | Reported Product | Unit Price | Exporter | Importer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-23 | SY *** *** ** *** | 23.53 USD / kg | (South Africa) | (Lesotho) | |
| 2026-02-18 | SY *** *** ** *** | 25.00 USD / kg | (South Africa) | (Lesotho) | |
| 2026-02-14 | SY *** *** ** *** | 22.22 USD / kg | (South Africa) | (Lesotho) | |
| 2026-02-09 | SY *** *** ** *** | 18.63 USD / kg | (South Africa) | (Lesotho) | |
| 2026-02-05 | SY *** *** ** *** | 20.59 USD / kg | (South Africa) | (Lesotho) |
Top Loose Leaf Tea Export Suppliers and Companies in South Africa
Review leading exporter profiles and benchmark them against 4 total export partner companies tracked for Loose Leaf Tea in South Africa. Use Supply Chain Intelligence company profiles and analytics to shortlist sourcing and export partners faster.
(South Africa)
Latest Export Transaction: 2026-04-07
Industries: Food ManufacturingOthersGrocery StoresBeverage ManufacturingFood Packaging
Value Chain Roles: TradeRetail
(South Africa)
Latest Export Transaction: 2026-04-07
Industries: Food Wholesalers
Value Chain Roles: TradeDistribution / Wholesale
(South Africa)
Latest Export Transaction: 2026-04-07
Industries: Food ManufacturingBeverage ManufacturingFood Wholesalers
Value Chain Roles: Food ManufacturingDistribution / Wholesale
(South Africa)
Latest Export Transaction: 2026-04-07
Recently Export Partner Companies: 1
Employee Size: Over 1000 Employees
Sales Revenue: USD Over 1B
Industries: Beverage ManufacturingFood Manufacturing
Value Chain Roles: Distribution / WholesaleFood Manufacturing
South Africa Export Partner Coverage
4 companies
Total export partner company count is a core signal of South Africa export network depth for Loose Leaf Tea.
Exporters and importers can open Supply Chain Intelligence company profiles and analytics to assess Loose Leaf Tea partner concentration, capacity signals, and trade relevance in South Africa.
Annual Export Value, Volume, and Supplier Market Size for Loose Leaf Tea in South Africa (HS Code 090240)
Analyze 3 years of Loose Leaf Tea export volume and value in South Africa to evaluate supplier market growth, seasonality, and trade volatility.
| Year | Volume | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,196,134 | 4,967,888 USD |
| 2023 | 1,404,377 | 6,012,932 USD |
| 2022 | 1,849,345 | 8,529,969 USD |
Top Destination Markets for Loose Leaf Tea Exports from South Africa (HS Code 090240) in 2024
For 2024, compare export volume and value across the top 5 destination countries for Loose Leaf Tea exports from South Africa.
| Rank | Country | Volume | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Namibia | 359,136.927 | 1,491,598.671 USD |
| 2 | Mozambique | 184,708.476 | 767,147.28 USD |
| 3 | Zimbabwe | 124,199.761 | 515,837.234 USD |
| 4 | Swaziland | 115,078.655 | 477,954.664 USD |
| 5 | Lesotho | 108,784.352 | 451,812.616 USD |
Loose Leaf Tea Import Buyer Intelligence and Price Signals in South Africa: Buyers, Demand, and Trade Partners
19 import partner companies are tracked for Loose Leaf Tea in South Africa. Exporters and importers can use Supply Chain Intelligence company profiles and analytics to analyze buyer demand, partner density, and downstream channels.
Scatter points are sampled from 100.0% of the full transaction dataset.
Sample Import Transaction and Price Records for Loose Leaf Tea in South Africa
2 sampled Loose Leaf Tea import transactions in South Africa provide date, origin, and trade-country context to benchmark price levels and demand-side trading patterns.
Loose Leaf Tea sampled import transaction unit prices by date in South Africa: 2025-08-08: 10.41 USD / kg, 2025-07-25: 10.63 USD / kg.
| Date | Reported Product | Unit Price | Exporter | Importer | Origin | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-08 | CHA** ******** *** | 10.41 USD / kg | (-) | (-) | - | |
| 2025-07-25 | CHA** ******** *** | 10.63 USD / kg | (-) | (-) | - |
Top Loose Leaf Tea Buyers, Importers, and Demand Partners in South Africa
Review leading buyer profiles and compare them with 19 total import partner companies tracked for Loose Leaf Tea in South Africa. Exporters and importers can use Supply Chain Intelligence company profiles and analytics to evaluate demand-side partner fit.
(South Africa)
Latest Import Transaction: 2026-04-07
Employee Size: 11 - 50 Employees
Sales Revenue: USD 1M - 5M
Industries: Others
Value Chain Roles: Distribution / Wholesale
(South Africa)
Latest Import Transaction: 2026-04-07
Employee Size: 51 - 100 Employees
Sales Revenue: USD 50M - 100M
Industries: Others
Value Chain Roles: Distribution / Wholesale
(South Africa)
Latest Import Transaction: 2026-04-07
Sales Revenue: USD 1M - 5M
Industries: Others
Value Chain Roles: Distribution / Wholesale
(South Africa)
Latest Import Transaction: 2026-04-07
Employee Size: 501 - 1000 Employees
Industries: Others
Value Chain Roles: Retail
(South Africa)
Latest Import Transaction: 2026-04-07
Sales Revenue: USD 1M - 5M
Industries: Others
Value Chain Roles: TradeDistribution / Wholesale
(South Africa)
Latest Import Transaction: 2026-04-07
Industries: Food ManufacturingCrop ProductionBeverage Manufacturing
Value Chain Roles: TradeFarming / Production / Processing / Packing
South Africa Import Partner Coverage
19 companies
Import partner company count highlights demand-side visibility for Loose Leaf Tea in South Africa.
Use Supply Chain Intelligence analytics and company profiles to identify active Loose Leaf Tea importers, distributors, and buyer networks in South Africa.
Annual Import Value, Volume, and Demand Size for Loose Leaf Tea in South Africa (HS Code 090240)
Track 2 years of Loose Leaf Tea import volume and value in South Africa to assess demand growth and market momentum.
| Year | Volume | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 18,838,991 | 31,537,652 USD |
| 2022 | 19,031,576 | 32,694,873 USD |
Classification
Product TypeIngredient
Product FormDried (Loose leaf)
Industry PositionFood and Beverage Ingredient
Market
Loose-leaf tea in South Africa spans imported Camellia sinensis teas (commonly used for blending/packing and retail) and distinctive indigenous herbal "tea" infusions, especially rooibos ("Rooibos/Red Bush") and honeybush. South Africa is the origin country for rooibos, which has protected name status in the EU, and the rooibos industry has a formal access-and-benefit-sharing framework tied to indigenous traditional knowledge. Importing loose plant products into South Africa can trigger plant-health permitting and phytosanitary documentation depending on the commodity’s regulatory status, while retail packs must comply with national food labelling rules. Operationally, the market includes domestic processors/packers alongside importers and distributors serving modern retail and foodservice.
Market RoleDomestic producer and exporter for indigenous herbal teas (rooibos/honeybush) and net importer/blender-packer market for Camellia sinensis loose-leaf tea
Domestic RoleMainstream hot beverage category with strong local identity in rooibos/honeybush segments; imported teas supply conventional black/green tea demand
Specification
Physical Attributes
- Moisture- and odor-sensitive dried leaf/cut material; foreign matter and off-odors are common buyer rejection drivers in loose-leaf trade.
- Cut size/leaf appearance is commonly specified by buyers for blending and brewing performance, especially for rooibos/honeybush herbal teas.
Compositional Metrics
- Pesticide residue and contaminant compliance expectations apply under South African food control frameworks; buyers may request proof aligned to applicable MRLs.
Packaging
- Moisture/oxygen barrier packaging (e.g., lined sacks for bulk; barrier pouches/tins for retail) is used to protect aroma and prevent quality loss in distribution.
Supply Chain
Value Chain
- Imported bulk tea: overseas supplier → sea freight to South African port → customs/plant-health checks (as applicable) → warehouse → blending/packing → retail/foodservice distribution
- Local herbal tea (rooibos/honeybush): harvest (wild/cultivated) → processing (e.g., fermentation/oxidation and drying) → cutting/sifting → packing → domestic distribution and/or export
Temperature
- Ambient, dry storage is typical; heat and humidity control matters more than refrigeration for dried tea quality preservation.
Atmosphere Control
- Strong odor protection and moisture control are critical in warehousing and containerization to prevent tainting and caking.
Shelf Life
- Quality is most sensitive to moisture ingress, odor exposure, and prolonged heat during storage and distribution.
Freight IntensityLow
Transport ModeSea
Risks
Plant Health HighIf the imported loose-leaf tea or herbal plant material is treated as a regulated plant product, missing or mismatched NPPOZA import permit/phytosanitary certification can result in detention and may lead to treatment, return to origin, or destruction after inspection at the port of entry.Confirm commodity-specific phytosanitary import conditions and permit/exemption status before contracting; secure the NPPOZA import permit where required and ensure the exporter’s NPPO issues a phytosanitary certificate aligned to the permit conditions.
Regulatory Compliance MediumNon-compliant retail labelling (mandatory particulars, claims, language/format issues) can trigger enforcement actions in-market and disrupt listings with formal retail channels.Validate labels against South Africa’s Department of Health food labelling regulations (R146/2010 and amendments) and obtain local regulatory review for claims and ingredients where applicable.
Food Safety MediumTea may face scrutiny for chemical residues/contaminants under food control frameworks; adverse findings can cause rejections, recalls, or buyer delisting.Implement a residue/contaminant testing plan aligned to applicable South African requirements and buyer specifications; maintain lot-based COAs and supplier pesticide-use records.
Labor And Social MediumRooibos supply chains can attract scrutiny related to indigenous traditional-knowledge benefit sharing; buyers may treat lack of documented compliance with the industry benefit-sharing framework as a reputational and ESG risk.For rooibos-origin products, request supplier documentation on benefit-sharing alignment and maintain transparent sourcing and traceability records for ESG due diligence.
Sustainability
- Biodiversity and ecosystem stewardship considerations for indigenous fynbos-region sourcing (rooibos/honeybush), especially where wild harvesting is part of the supply base.
- Climate variability exposure in key Western/Eastern Cape production landscapes for indigenous herbal teas.
Labor & Social
- Indigenous traditional-knowledge rights and benefit-sharing expectations in the rooibos value chain (industry-wide access and benefit-sharing agreement involving Khoi and San communities).
Standards
- FSSC 22000 (used by some honeybush/tea processors for export-oriented food safety management)
- Organic certification (channel- and buyer-specific)
FAQ
Do imports of loose-leaf tea into South Africa require a plant import permit and a phytosanitary certificate?South Africa requires an import permit from the National Plant Protection Organisation of South Africa (NPPOZA) for plants, plant products and other regulated articles unless the product is exempt. When an import permit and specific phytosanitary conditions apply, the exporting country’s NPPO may need to issue a phytosanitary certificate confirming compliance, and NPPOZA inspectors can check the consignment and documents at the port of entry. The exact requirement depends on the specific commodity and its import conditions.
Why can rooibos sourcing in South Africa involve benefit-sharing considerations?South Africa has an industry-wide access and benefit-sharing agreement linked to traditional knowledge associated with rooibos, involving Khoi and San communities and the rooibos industry. For buyers who treat social compliance as material, sourcing programs may ask suppliers to demonstrate alignment with this benefit-sharing framework as part of ESG due diligence.
Sources
Other Loose Leaf Tea Country Markets for Supplier, Export, and Price Comparison from South Africa
Compare Loose Leaf Tea supplier coverage, trade flows, and price benchmarks across countries related to South Africa.
Sri Lanka
Russia
Kenya
Pakistan
India
United States
China
United Kingdom
Egypt
Saudi Arabia
Vietnam
United Arab Emirates
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Raw materials: Dried Tea Leaves
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