Western Cape , South Africa ( CNN ) -- In cafes across Cape Town , brewing the perfect cup of rooibos has become a fine art . Measuring just the right amount of tea is key while great care is needed to not allow the leaves to swirl for too long . Once ready , the rooibos cups , gleaming in a sumptuous deep red color , bring with them a reedy scent that greets the noses of the customers waiting to enjoy a sip . Grown only in South Africa 's Western Cape province , the naturally caffeine-free tea used to be a specialist drink appealing to only some taste buds . But in recent years , its refreshing taste and inviting aroma , coupled with its health benefits , have turned rooibos into a popular choice for tea lovers across the world . `` Germany really was the start of the big export boom , '' says Martin Berg , managing director of Rooibos Limited in South Africa , the largest rooibos tea processing factory . `` Since then , Holland , UK , USA , Japan -- all the first world countries , rooibos has grown in there , grown in popularity , '' he adds . Read more : S. Africa ostrich industry hit by major bird flu outbreak . The increasing popularity of rooibos , an Afrikaans word that means `` red bush , '' has created an industry worth around $ 23 billion . Some 15,000 tons of rooibos are harvested every year and at least half of that is then exported to the increasingly health-conscious consumer . Willem Engelbrecht , whose family have been farming rooibos for four generations , believes that the natural herb 's popularity has increased because of the plant 's health benefits -- documented in several studies -- including its anti-oxidant properties . `` It 's also got a soothing effect , and that is what we need for our everyday high-speed lifestyles , '' says Engelbrecht . `` The Japanese did a lot of research early in the 1990s . Once that research became public and also South African research , people all over the world started to drink the product , not only for its very exceptional taste , but also for its wonderful health attributes . '' In Western Cape , the rooibos industry is a major employer during the summer months of harvesting . Under the hot South African sun , the workers , who are paid per kilogram , are constantly cutting down and piling up the tea to satisfy the increasing demand from abroad . Read more : Is narcotic khat funding terrorism ? Once the bushes , which are actually green , are cut down into small pieces , they are laid out to dry . The intense sunlight in the Western Cape slowly then turns the rooibos into its rich dark red color . After it has been processed and sterilized , the tea is ready for the consumer . This trade has become so lucrative that the industry is now trying to protect the rooibos name and its heritage . Producers are lobbying for the tea to be given geographical indication status ( see fact box ) to protect this unique brand -- a lengthy lawsuit with a U.S. company , which tried to use the rooibos name , went the way of the South Africans . But farmers , like Engelbrecht , believe more should be done . `` There is not currently the legislation in South Africa to protect the word rooibos as a geographical indicator or G.I. , similar to what exists in France , where the French government makes sure that champagne can only be used by the wine producers in the Champagne region of France , '' he says . `` I think it is the responsibility of government to make sure that legislation come in place , because we need to protect our cultural assets , '' adds Engelbrecht . Read more : Rise of the 'repats ' : Africans shun crisis-hit West for jobs back home . But while the industry waits for government reforms , plans are already in place for further expansion into new markets , such as India and China . As a result , laboratory tests are underway to develop new products to broaden the tea 's appeal and suit different palates across the world . `` We now have a vast array of different rooibos products , from the traditional unflavored tea to all the flavored tea , cappuccinos made from rooibos , cosmetics , rooibos used in cooking , '' says Engelbrecht . Back in Cape Town , customers are already enjoying some of these new products . There 's a whole new menu of fruit-flavored rooibos teas , rooibos cappuccinos and even espressos . But despite this extensive range , the perfected traditional cups of rooibos remains the firm favorite .
An increasing number of tea lovers are turning to rooibos for its health benefits . The plant grows only in South Africa 's Western Cape province . The multi-million dollar industry is fighting to protect the rooibos name and its heritage . Producers are lobbying for the tea to be given geographical indication status .