Roeper internals

Trip to Australia and New Zealand

In May 2024 our colleague Joern Herrmann had a special business trip on his schedule – his destination was Australia and New Zealand, where he was headed to visit our suppliers for beeswax and Red Yacca Gum.

Close up on beeswax

The organic beeswax Roeper buys comes from Southern Australia and Tasmania. Joern Herrmann had the unique opportunity to see the production process of this precious raw material with its outstanding quality at first hand. Roeper highly appreciates the fact that we have been lucky enough to cooperate for many years now with our local partner, as perfect quality control and sustainable production are top of his priority.

The conventional beeswax Roeper buys originates from both Australia and New Zealand. Joern also visited our beekeepers and suppliers for conventional beeswax and had the chance to see the current production.

A rare gift of nature from a remote place in a land down under

Kangaroo Island, situated south of Australia, is a natural paradise with unique flora and fauna, rich in rare plants, Koala bears and kangarros. The island is also home to the “bush trees” or “Yacca trees” from which a very rare product is manufacture, Red Yacca Gum. While most of the island is a nature reserve, the central government in Canberra has licensed the has licensed ecologically considerate and sustainable crop of certain trees.

Unique moments with unique people

Since his first visit to Kangaroo Island in 1986, Joern was able to visit our friends there several times. We are so grateful for our long lasting relationship to our Australian partners, who are so much more than business partners to us. Joern was especially thankful to see that nature on Kangaroo Island has recovered since the terrible wildfires that happened in 2020. During his visit, he was able to experience up close the 2024 crop of Red Yacca Gum. The production process has not changed much in over a hundred years. There are of course machines now to crush the trees, but the process itself is still hard and dusty manual work.

Taking the extra mile

Maintaining the close relationships with our local partners is essential to our business and one of the keys to ensuring the high quality of the products we sell to our customers. So we are gladly taking the extra mile, even if it means travelling to the other side of the world.

Understanding the heart of the product

It makes a difference for us to understand the heart of the products we sell. It matters to have walked and experienced the remote places where these gifts of nature come from. And we are taking these experiences back to our office in Hamburg to inspire our work, for the benefit of our customers.

In early April, a team from C.E. Roeper embarked on a memorable and insightful work trip to Peru. The team comprised Stefanie van Peé, Valérie Gerling, and Rasmus Gerrens, who set out to deepen our company's understanding and relationships within the carmine production industry. It was especially exciting to have Rasmus Gerrens with us, representing the new generation of the family-owned company Roeper, which added a fresh perspective to the trip.

Discovering the Heart of Carmine Production

The primary focus of our visit was to explore the fascinating world of carmine, (a natural dye derived from cochineal insects). Carmine has been a significant part of our product portfolio, and this trip was crucial for ensuring we maintain the highest standards in our supply chain.

Visits to Producers and Factories

Our journey took us to several renowned carmine producers and factories. Each visit offered us a unique glimpse into the meticulous processes involved in carmine production. From the initial harvesting of cochineal insects to the precise extraction and refinement of the vibrant red dye, we observed the dedication and expertise of the local producers. Additionally, we visited a Tara gum factory, where we gained valuable insights into the production and processing of this versatile natural product and observed the high standards and quality controls in place.

A Day at the Cochineal Farm

One of the highlights of our trip was the visit to a cochineal farm. Here, we witnessed firsthand the sustainable practices employed to cultivate these tiny insects. The farmers' commitment to maintaining ecological balance and producing high-quality cochineal was truly inspiring. We were able to see the entire lifecycle of the cochineal insects and understand the critical role they play in the production of carmine.

Grateful for the Warm Hospitality

We are immensely grateful for the warm hospitality extended to us by everyone we met during our trip. From the producers and factory workers to the farmers, each person welcomed us with open arms and shared their knowledge and experiences with great generosity. Their kindness and openness made our trip not only productive but also incredibly enriching.

Strengthening Partnerships

This trip was not only about exploring the technical aspects of carmine production but also about strengthening our partnerships with local producers. Building these relationships is vital for ensuring the consistent quality and sustainability of our products. We are proud to work with such dedicated and passionate individuals who share our value – naturally Committed- with excellence.

Looking Ahead

As we return to our offices, we bring back not only a deeper understanding of carmine production but also a renewed sense of appreciation for the hard work and dedication of our partners in Peru. We look forward to incorporating the insights gained from this trip into our operations and continuing to deliver high-quality products to our customers.

Thank you once again to everyone who made our trip to Peru a memorable and valuable experience. We are excited about the future and the opportunities that lie ahead.

In March, a Roeper team travelled to the world’s seventh largest country: India – a fascinating land looking back to 5000 years of history, a land full of tradition and stunning landscape and nature, but also a land shaped by social contrast. Our team rejoiced exceptional hospitality, was able to experience the Psyllium crop in full swing and also had to cope with the first heatwave of the year with temperatures above 40 °C.

Field trip to the growing areas

Visiting the areas in Gujarat and Rajasthan where Psyllium is grown involved adventurous overland tours covering more than 1500 km and visits to the Psyllium fields under the searing Indian sun. But our team was more than happy to take on these challenges because they know that nothing compares to the personal experience of seeing the harvest – which is still pure manual work - first-hand.

Respect and mutual appreciation

The partnership we have with our Indian business friends has developed throughout the decades of our cooperation. Each time we visit India, we are overwhelmed by their hospitality and helpfulness. The excellent organization of the field tours, accompanied diligently by several of the family members in their uniquely sincere way, made perfect by the highlights from the Indian kitchen – all this adds up to the success of our trips to India!

Tradition and Evolution

Planting and harvesting of Psyllium is still pure manual work. And the seeds are still being auctioned on the traditional outdoors market in Unjhar. All this has not changed in decades. What has changed fundamentally is the processing in the state-of-the-art factories. Our quality assurance has audited and approved all steps of processing in order to ensure our customers receive only the best quality Psyllium.

A host of intense impressions

It is not easy to describe all the impressions of this trip and the few pictures we show hardly come up to our experiences. Our team has left India with a deep understanding for the cultivation of Psyllium and the production process involved. The trust we have in our Indian partners has become even stronger and we are sure they will continue to give their best to make sure our customers can rely on buying premium quality.