Kenya is the world’s leading tea exporter. Although China and India produce more, both countries consume a significant proportion of their own tea, unlike Kenya. The East African country’s soil, climate and altitude are ideal for Camellia sinensis, which is why the British introduced the crop there in the early 20th century. Today, tea represents a significant portion of Kenya’s resources. But who knows about Kenya’s tea? Most of it is industrially produced CTC (crush, tear, curl) and is found in paper tea bags, usually in blends of different origins, which is why the production country is not mentioned on the packaging. However, Kenya has a bright future ahead of it, provided it focuses on the superb high-altitude teas, which are harvested by hand and processed using the orthodox method. These teas could generate much more income and pride for the people who make their living from this crop. We must rigorously select the finest batches, support the farmers, introduce them to new techniques, encourage their creativity, and do everything we can to make consumers aware of this unjustly overlooked tea-producing region.
