AriZona Beverages, Woodbury, N.Y., launched Red Tea in 20-ounce tall boys, bringing the national drink of South Africa to the mainstream market in the United States. AriZona Red Tea is naturally caffeine free, made with real sugar, and only 70 calories in each serving.
Rooibos tea’s popularity in the United States has increased during the past decade, the company says. Native to South Africa, rooibos is made from the needles of an indigenous bush and is a mild tea with deeply red hues. Made with only four ingredients, AriZona Red Tea will take imbibers on a trip to the Cederberg Mountains of South Africa, where rooibos is grown, it says.
To honor Rooibos tea’s South African heritage, AriZona has partnered with The Long Walk to Freedom Foundation to celebrate their efforts and to continue the message of Nelson Mandela. A portion of each Red Tea sold will go toward the Mandela Education program, an extension of Mandela’s desire to use children’s literacy to liberate the mind and free the next generation of poverty.
“The Long walk to freedom brand has chosen to continue our grandfather’s work through the Mandela Education Program that focuses on school children with an emphasis on literacy both physical and digital,” said HRH Princess Swati Dlamini-Mandela, in a statement.
The project started back in 2007 and continues to this day with more than 200,000 children in the literacy focus daily. “The aim is to reach 2 million children daily, so we have a way to go yet,” said HRH Princess Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway.
AriZona’s Red Tea is offered in 20-ounce tall boys with a suggested retail value of $1 for a single bottle at local convenience stores, gas stations, bodegas, delis and wherever AriZona is sold, or $22.99 for a 12-pack through direct-to-consumer delivery on DrinkAriZona.com.