Kenya’s tea sector has brewed a game-changing deal, as Benny Tea—one of China’s largest tea companies—commits to investing Sh13 billion in modernizing orthodox tea production in the country. The move, announced following a meeting between President William Ruto and Benny Tea chairperson Zhang Chaobin, is expected to revolutionize how Kenyan tea is processed, marketed, and exported, especially to the lucrative Chinese and wider Asian markets. The focus will be on improving quality and value, particularly through the production of orthodox tea, which is gaining increasing demand globally for its delicate taste and traditional processing.
Orthodox tea differs from the widely consumed CTC (crush, tear, curl) variety by using artisanal methods that preserve the tea leaf’s natural character. The result is a more refined flavour and a higher price tag in international markets. For years, Kenya has remained a global leader in black tea exports, yet a majority of its produce has been sold in bulk through the Mombasa auction at relatively low prices. The Benny Tea investment signals a much-needed pivot—away from quantity and towards quality, branding, and direct access to global consumers.
The deal also has strong local impact, especially for the smallholder farmers and factories managed by the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), which oversees 69 factories and supports over 650,000 farmers. According to Tea Board of Kenya CEO Willy Mutai, the first beneficiaries of the investment will be Mungania Tea Factory in Embu and Chebango Factory in Bomet. These counties, part of Kenya’s highland tea belt, stand to gain from job creation, improved factory infrastructure, and new market access. Benny Tea will also enjoy tax exemptions on packaging materials imported from China, a move expected to significantly reduce the cost of local tea processing.
On the policy side, the Kenyan government has begun aligning its strategies to support the orthodox tea shift. Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe recently announced that tea factories will now be allowed to brand and sell their tea directly to international buyers, bypassing the traditional auction system. Plans are also underway to set up common-user packaging facilities, further encouraging value addition. These reforms complement the Benny Tea partnership and reflect a broader government intention to reposition Kenya’s tea industry on the global map.
For regions like the Rift Valley—home to some of the country’s most productive tea farms—this is more than just an economic opportunity; it’s a chance to redefine the identity of Kenyan tea. With China now ranked among the top ten importers of Kenyan tea and global demand for orthodox tea rising, local farmers have an opportunity to grow beyond bulk production and participate in premium markets. As The Rift continues to spotlight transformation stories from our region, we’ll be closely following how this partnership reshapes livelihoods and uplifts communities across Kenya’s tea-growing heartland.
