South Africa's offensive to protect rooibos brand
In the ongoing saga surrounding trademark rights of rooibos tea in France and beyond, South Africa announced plans to seek protected Geographical Indication status in the European Union. This is in response to a French investment company, Compagnie de Trucy, submitting documents to obtain exclusive marketing rights to rooibos tea in France earlier this year. Geographical Indication is a trade protection system that protects specialty goods produced in a certain region. But before submitting the paperwork to Brussels, it turns out that the product must be protected in its country of origin. This means that rooibos, also known as red tea, needs to receive official trademark status in South Africa first. There are also plans to seek trade protection for honeybush, a similar herbal tea grown in South Africa.