Kericho

Kericho and the broader Kenyan Rift Valley tea-producing area produce Kenya's substantial tea output — Kenya is among the largest tea-exporting countries in the world, with annual production rivaling India's. The equatorial highland climate (cool, frequent rain, year-round growing seasons) and the volcanic Rift Valley soil produce assamica tea with bright, brisk character that became foundational to the global CTC tea market (the crushed-and-curled grade used in commercial tea bags and breakfast blends).

Kenyan specialty tea is a more recent development. The Kenya Tea Research Foundation has developed cultivars (most famously TRFK 306, the "purple tea" that produces leaves with high anthocyanin content) and producers have shifted some production from CTC to orthodox whole-leaf grades aimed at specialty markets. Brands like Tezuma, Justea, and a handful of smaller operations now produce Kenyan single-estate orthodox black tea, green tea, and purple tea targeting drinkers familiar with Chinese or Sri Lankan equivalents. Cup character is distinct from those origins: a more uniformly bright assamica character without the subtle aromatics of Sri Lankan tea or the malty depth of Assam.

Signature teas

• Kenyan CTC black tea (volume)
• Kenya purple tea (specialty)

Tea types produced

Cultivars grown

• Kenyan TRFK clones
• TRFK 306 (purple)
• Various assamica selections

Processing focus

Harvest seasons

• Year-round; peak January-February and July-September

Flavor signature

Notable producers & areas

• Kericho District
• Nandi Hills
• Limuru