SA Rooibos IP innovation attracts international attention

It’s the first time that SA has been asked to present in respect of trademarks, patents and IP innovation at this prestigious conference, which has commenced in Geneva, Switzerland, and will run untill 11 October.

André Helbig via Wikimedia Commons - Rooibos

André Helbig via Wikimedia Commons - Honeybush

Ernest du Toit, a director of the SA Rooibos Council and CEO of the world famous, Annique range of Rooibos teas, skin care and health products, was approached by the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), which functions under the auspices of the DTI, to present information on the Annique Rooibos health and beauty product range and on the Audacia Rooibos and Honeybush-wooded wines, owned and developed by Trevor Strydom.

Du Toit says he is honoured to participate in the symposium, which will specifically look at how patented and trademarked technologies remain critical to ensuring long-term economic growth for both developed and developing nations. “Rooibos and Honeybush were specifically singled out as SA treasures since they are both endemic to SA and are among the most widely commercially cultivated botanical species originating in South Africa with more than 300 trademarks and 20 patents to their names,” remarks du Toit.

A game changer for the alcoholic beverage industry

Red Dawn IP Holdings – owned by Audacia Wines and KWV – has developed a method of preserving alcoholic beverages using indigenous Rooibos and Honeybush wood chips, instead of currently accepted sulphite preservatives, which has also intrigued the international IP community.

The innovation by the Stellenbosch-based company is a huge potential game changer in the alcoholic beverage industry, given that Rooibos and Honeybush toasted wood chips not only impart unique and highly distinctive flavours to a wide range of beverage types, including wine, beer, and cider but also release antioxidants which help to preserve these beverages, eliminating the use of synthetic preservatives, such as sulphites. Audacia has already created a series of “No Sulphites or Preservatives Added” wines, as well as low-calorie wines, using this breakthrough technology.

From left: Trevor Strydom (MD of Audacia Wines) and Ernest du Toit (Director of SARC and CEO of Annique)

Trevor Strydom, director of Red Dawn IP Holdings, who has lodged patent applications in 83 jurisdictions worldwide, for the exclusive use by South African alcoholic beverage producers, to create wine, beer and cider, using indigenous Rooibos and Honeybush materials in varying forms, says safeguarding these local resources is crucial to developing jobs and businesses, and to sustain a vibrant economy.

“Patent protection and trademark registration of our products is particularly significant given that the European Union finally recognised both Rooibos and Honeybush as Geographic Indicators (GI), in 2014. This means that South Africa and its local manufacturers now have exclusive ownership of Rooibos and Honeybush trademarks and IP, and that these names will only be applicable to products that come from South Africa, which is officially approved by the DTI, guaranteeing quality control,” says Strydom.

The DTI has also since then declared Rooibos and Honeybush as prohibited marks under South Africa’s Merchandise Marks Act, making unauthorised use a criminal offense. Traditional Knowledge legislation, which is in line with the Nagoya Protocol, is also currently being promulgated in South Africa.

Something new and fresh

Strydom says it’s Audacia’s aim to bring something new and fresh into the overtraded wine, cider and beer industries.

“Rooibos is an iconic local phenomenon and we’re proud to be using its incredible natural properties to create a range of original and distinctive alcoholic beverages, that are healthier as well. Our innovation is also significant from a sustainability perspective, as we use a byproduct of the Rooibos and Honeybush tea industries, (chipped wood stems) for use in making wine, beer and cider. It replaces expensive imported oak wood derivatives like staves, chips, powders and liquid tannin extracts.

“We are totally committed to creating and maintaining a sustainable future for all South Africans, operating in these industries. We seek to achieve the aforementioned objectives by sharing this intellectual property with all South African alcoholic beverage producers, thereby giving them the ability to be able to produce unique patent protected products, with ‘real’, unique customer value propositions, that they will be able to promote under license for the duration of the respective intellectual property terms, in the jurisdictions where the patent is registered and in force, says Strydom.

In addition to the exhibition, South Africa will also be hosting a grand reception in Geneva at the General Assembly, which will be opened by South Africa’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Nozipho Mxakato-Diseko. The theme of the reception is “South African Treasures”. As part of this event, all delegates will be gifted with a bottle of Audacia Rooibos Wooded Wine – a “No Sulphites or Preservatives Added” Shiraz 2014, as well as Rooibos tea and skincare products from Annique Health and Beauty.