Tea was introduced to Kenya at Limuru in 1903, and the African country has since taken the crown as one of the largest tea-producing countries today. It currently produces enough tea to place it third behind China and India in total annual tea production, with a majority of this being black tea. The Caine brothers were the first to plant tea in Kenya.
It was some twenty years before Kenyan tea really took off. The first large commercial tea estate was established in 1924, which opened up the market for many more estates. The tea industry in Kenya then went without rules or standards until 1950, when the Tea Board of Kenya was formed.
This regulated the industry. Soon after, smallholder cultivation of tea began across the country in 1954, and three years later, the first smallholder factory was established and operated.
Since then, many smallholders have taken to forming cooperatives in order to compete with larger estates and improve outcomes among their members. Kenyan tea is usually produced using the CTC (Crushing, Tearing, Curling) method, and is most suitable for tea bags. Recently however a growing variety of orthodox tea, as well as green,purple and white tea, is being produced. Kenyan teas are typically full-bodied, with rich notes of dark fruits.
If you want to experience bold black teas with a honey malt note then Kenyan teas fit this category. Purple teas also give a point of difference with a unique colour and flavour.
Sourced by Australian Tea Masters
Australian Tea Masters is the leading organisation for tea training and tea education in Australasia.
Tea Master Sharyn Johnston founded the organisation in 2011 as its director, and is a specialist business executive with over 25 years of global training experience. Sharyn has worked with some of the world’s leading tea experts to develop the training material used in the Australian Tea Masters Certified Tea Master course.
We are the leading organisation in Australia delivering a Certified Tea Master structured curriculum, training tea professionals in the art of tea mastery. We also provide a variety of other training courses for anyone interested in learning more about tea, including our online foundation course Tea 101, as well as our in-depth Certified Tea Blending course for beginners and advanced tea professionals looking to become premier tea blenders.
Sharyn Johnston
CEO Australian Tea Masters
