Novus Tea’s Rooibos Espresso wins Great Taste Award
Image: Novus Tea
Importer, manufacturer and blender of premium tea for over two decades, Novus Tea has won a Great Taste Award for its latest creation, Rooibos Espresso which, as its name suggests can be made using a traditional espresso machine in much the same way as coffee is.
The Great Taste Awards are held annually, with the results being announced in August where, this year Novus won one of the ten prestigious Triple Gold Medals (the highest award) in the ‘Alternative lattes and cold brew infusions’ category.
Rooibos Espresso tea has been designed to be drunk as an authentic tea latte and produces a prominent tea note which cuts through the textured latte milk. The tea itself is recovered from the sieving process at a South African plantation to produce Novus Tea’s super grade long-cut Rooibos.
Allan Pirret, sales director for Novus Tea, explains the roots of the award-winning beverage: “While Rooibos is a herbal tea, from the Western Cape Region, it is a red leaf tea with real depth and body, which is why it can be prepared in a standard espresso machine.
Although we have been buying from the grower for some years, our decision to start distributing the Rooibos Espresso came about as the result of discussion during the pandemic, when they explained to us about the very fine particles which they had started recovering from the sieving process, which would otherwise go to waste. These are so fine they can be processed in a standard espresso machine, though we have had to design and produce a special filter basket which we offer to customers. This slows the extraction process down – and produces a crema which has the latte milk added afterwards.”
The judges were commented on the new tea; “Visually beautiful with a surprising amount of body and we really liked the earthy floral subtle bergamot undertones – a delightful drink.”
Another added: “Sweet and herby on the nose – this carries through well to the palate. The sweet reddish colour is stunning – we loved the new way of drinking Rooibos, heavenly with milk,” and a third judge observed: “The product works well as a latte, with the addition of milk adding to the complexity and depth of fruit and floral flavours.”
Essentially, Rooibos tastes of honey, orange and vanilla, with buyers liking its many sustainable features: the fact that it is naturally decaffeinated means that it does not need to be processed to remove the caffeine content. Plus, it is produced from what is arguably waste material and is vegan-friendly, so is right on trend for those looking for a healthy alternative in their tea.
Recently sampled at London Coffee Festival by coffee fans and experts, the taste was exceptionally well received, with tasters enjoying the vibrant orange colour of the tea latte.
Available in packs of six, 1kg pouches, the wholesale price comes in at just over GBP £18 per kilogram. It will also be available online in 250g form for consumers.
