| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food & beverage |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Founder | Joe Swart and Jonathan Kelsey |
| Headquarters | Pinetown, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa |
Area served | Southern Africa and beyond |
| Products | Tea and coffee |
| Parent | Tata Consumer Products |
| Website | www |
Joekels Tea Packers (Pty) Ltd (Joekels) [1] is a South African tea company. It was established in 1994 and now includes the second-largest Rooibos tea brand in the world, Laager Rooibos. [2] The company packs about 95% of all Private Label Tea products in South Africa. The team started with Phendula Tips, followed by Tea Time. They now include seven brands, including Tetley Green Tea and Laager Tea4Kidz. [3] [4] [5]
Joekels Tea Packers was founded in 1994 by Joe Swart, an accountant and Jonathan Kelsey, a qualified tea taster. Kelsey, the company's tea blender, is the only South African tea taster with an insured tongue. [6] [7] [8]
With limited resources, the pair combined their skills and finances, working from Joe's mom's garage using a domestic cement mixer (nicknamed 'Old Faithful') to blend the tea. [9] [8]
The company started with five staff members and one brand, Phendula Tips, tea meaning 'to turn around' in Zulu, mirroring the nation's transformation. This launched in 1994. Within three years, they had moved into a bigger space, launched the brand Tea Time, and won the Sanlam Entrepreneur of the Year award. [6]
In 2003, Joekels bought Laager Rooibos, the second-oldest Rooibos brand in the world. Joekels founded the first-ever children's tea in South Africa in 2001 with its Laager Tea4Kidz brand (originally Phendula Tea4Kidz). They went on to launch two variants with added Vitamin C - also a first for the segment. [2] [10] [11]
In 2006, FMCG firm Tata Consumer Products Ltd (TCPL) acquired 33 per cent of shares in Joekels Tea Packers and later purchased a majority share. Tata Consumer Products Overseas Holdings Ltd (TCP Overseas) - a step-down wholly-owned subsidiary of the company through Tata Consumer Products UK Group - purchased the share capital from its Joint-Venture partners. [12] [13] [14] [15]
In 2008, Joekels bought Teeco and Southall's, and in 2012, commenced packing most Private Label Tea in South Africa. [11] [16]
In 2015, Joekels took out an insurance policy on Jonathan Kelsey's tongue and taste buds to ensure consistency in premium quality products. [7] [17]
Rooibos is only grown in one region worldwide - the Cederberg in the Western Cape. In 2016, a drought in the region created a Rooibos shortage that led to a significant price increase in the Rooibos segment. [6] [18]
In 2017, Joekels launched Tetley Green Tea, which became the number one pure green tea brand on the market within six months. [6]
In July 2024, Tetley promoted its new Instant Chai Lattes, available in original and vanilla flavours. [19]
In May 2025, Tetley launched Tetley Decaffeinated Tea Blend to meet rising consumer demand for healthier lifestyle options and caffeine-free alternatives. [20]
From five members in 1994, the staff complement has since expanded to more than 200, and the space that Joekels occupies has grown from 264m² to 13,837m². The company has a number of its own brands, in addition to supplying 95% of Private Label Brands in the market. [8] [21]
Teas are sourced from a variety of estates around the world, with the taste varying based on weather conditions and other factors. Tea taster, Jonathan Kelsey, is responsible for ensuring the consistency in taste and quality of all of the tea blends. [6] [9]
Laager has roughly a 20 per cent share of the Rooibos market, and is known for its strong flavour. [2]
| Year | Award/Nomination |
|---|---|
| 1999 | Won the Sanlam/Business Partners (old SBDC) Entrepreneur of the Year Award [23] |
| 2013 | Received the Globally Recognised Food Safety System Certification (FSSC) 22000 [23] |
| 2015 | Nominated for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year [21] |
| 2015 | Won Shoprite Checkers Supplier of the Year Private Label [24] [6] |
| 2019 | Won the Pick n Pay Supplier of the Year Private Label [24] [6] |
| 2024 | Silver Award at the Aurora International Taste Challenge (Laager Rooibos Cranberry & Wild Cherry Flavoured Tea) [25] |
| 2024 | Won Product of the Year in the Hot Beverages Category (Society Caramel Toffee Cappuccinos) [22] |
| 2024 | Won Double Gold (Tetley Masala Chai), and Gold (Tetley Lemon Tea) at the Aurora International Taste Challenge. [25] |
| 2025 | Won Double Gold (Tetley Original Chai Latte), and Gold (Tetley Peach & Orange Green tea with Vitamin C) at the Aurora International Taste Challenge. [26] |