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Something unique is brewing in the kingdom as Bahrain’s coffee and tea lovers are being tempted to try a healthier new alternative to caffeine-fuelled concoctions.
Red Espresso, made from espresso ground Rooibos tea, is the first tea that plays by coffees rules, its makers say.
The caffeine-free drink was recently launched in Bahrain at Veranda Café in Adhari, which is also owned by Sasan Kazerooni Group, the distributors of the brand within the region, with the aim of it being snapped up by hotels, restaurants and cafes over Ramadan.
South African Clive Williams, the group’s business developer, said: “I thought I would bring in something different to the market. It is a tea that is so far away from being a tea that it’s almost a coffee, but not quite!”
The brand is made with tea leaves indigenous to South Africa which grow only in a 110km radius of the Cedarberg region in the country’s Western Cape.
It was discovered more than 300 years ago by the hunter-gatherer peoples of southern Africa, who relied on the plant for its healing and medicinal properties. Since then it has been enjoyed by generations of South Africans.
According to Mr Williams anyone from the country can recall stories of Rooibos tea being given to them by their grandparents or great grandparents. It’s the elixir of life in South Africa, he says.
This particular product was founded in 2005 when a South African farmer and coffee addict, Carl Pretorius, walked into his kitchen, desperate for an espresso. However, his six-shots-a-day habit was starting to take a toll on his health and he realised he needed to find a healthier alternative.
As an espresso aficionado, he was reluctant to sacrifice on the espresso-style and ritual that he loved.
Decaf wasn’t an option and an ordinary cup of tea just didn’t cut it. So, Mr Pretorius decided to invent one himself, coming up with a revolutionary idea that enabled him, and now the world, to enjoy a delicious, rich-tasting, caffeine-free espresso made purely from Rooibos tea.
Like coffee, it is produced for use in espresso and coffee makers, can be served hot or cold in a range of drinks such as the red cappuccino, red latte, fresh red (Rooibos iced tea), and red shake (a Rooibos milkshake).
The Red Espresso grounds can also be used in baked goods including tiramisu and chocolate mousse.
Recently, Rooibos has become increasingly popular with trendy tea and coffee lovers around the world for its delicious, slightly sweet, earthy taste and seemingly infinite health benefits.
Red Espresso has been dubbed a ‘powerhouse of antioxidants’ by researchers at Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s Nutritional Antioxidant Research Unit.
The unique antioxidants are known to help soothe headaches, have a relaxing effect on the central nervous system, can treat bowel diseases, alleviate insomnia and irritability, help boost the immune system, act as a digestive aid, help with the relief of stomach cramps, ulcers, nausea, heartburn and constipation, has anti-allergenic and anti-asthmatic properties and is believed to be helpful in the management of sniffling summer hay fever and itchy skin condition eczema.
Red Espresso is now being exported to more than 20 countries including the US, the UK, Canada, Denmark, Switzerland, Portugal, parts of Asia and now Bahrain.
Mr Williams added: “You have a cafe society and coffee culture here in Bahrain second to none. I think you probably have more shops or coffee outlets per capita here than any other city in the world.
“The future of Red Espresso is in the hotel, restaurant and catering industry.
“We launched it in Ramadan because people look for something different during that time at the hotels, restaurants and cafes.
“I believe Red Espresso will generate interest and the product, once tried, will sell itself.”
A 250 gram retail bag is priced at BD4 and Rooibos aficionado’s can make up to 21 cups out of a bag.
