Kenyan-owned firm supplying UK with high grade tea

A  UK-based Kenyan-owned company is making waves in the British market supplying the best of Kenyan tea.

Peter Kamau, who founded Kenya Tea UK, has seen the company differentiating itself as one the few importers to provide a high-quality product, not blended or weakened with other variants, to deliver a distinctive rich aroma.

In a market worth £450 million (Statista report, 2015, Kenyan tea is special owing to a number of unique factors that come together to create the perfect environment. This includes the right weather, soil, altitude, leaf-plucking methods and manufacturing process.

As a result, Kenyan tea is known for its unique high quality, aroma, briskness and taste. However, traditionally, Kenyan tea has been exported in bulk to blend and add flavour to some of the world’s most respected tea brands. This is where the company is making a difference.

Kenya Tea UK has launched a collection of premium teas, locally and ethically sourced from Kenya, to create an unrivalled brew.

Kamau, who is the company’s managing director, said: “As some of the biggest tea-drinkers in the world, Brits have a distinct knowledge and appreciation for fine artisan products. As an independent curator and supplier of Kenyan teas, we are able to oversee every step of the process. From partnering with sustainable farmers approved by the Rainforest Alliance, to ensuring tea leaves are properly picked, packed at source and shipped to market within shortest time possible to retain their freshness. The result is a premium product with distinction, unspoilt by mass-production.”

The company uses sustainable farmers certified by the Rainforest Alliance and works with local suppliers ‘Union Tea Brokers Ltd’ to source the finest produce from high altitude tea plantations.

Freshness is key to this high-quality product. Within 14hrs of being picked, the leaves are already being processed to lock in their freshness and quality. From here the product travels to Mombasa – the heartbeat of Kenya’s tea export, where its journey continues across the waters and straight into your cuppa!

The Kenya Tea UK product range below is available to wholesale, retail and consumers:

Premium Loose Tea

Premium Loose Tea is sourced from Kenya’s finest high altitude tea plantations with black tea in its purest form for those who want to create their own unique mixes or enjoy the tea as it is.

Premium Everyday Tea
The company’s enveloped Premium Everyday Tea Breakfast Blend teabags offer a convenient way to enjoy premium Kenyan tea wherever one might be – in a hotel, at a café, or in the comfort of home.

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As well as selling direct to consumers, Kenya Tea UK works with a variety of business partners from restaurants to retailers, offering trade discounts for bulk orders. It also offers catering packages designed for the on-trade market.

The company will be showcasing their range at the forthcoming European Coffee Expo at Olympia, London (22-23 May, 2018).