The Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency has signed a collaboration agreement with Tea Board of Kenya to have a unified way of marketing tea.
Kenya tea sub-sector is a leading foreign exchange earner accounting for 25% of the country’s total foreign exchange earnings and contributes about 7% of the GDP.
The industry earned the country a total of 140 billion Kenya shillings in 2022. Additionally, the Kenyan tea industry supports over 5 million people directly or indirectly and over 650, 000 tea growers according to the Kenya Tea Directorate.
KEPROBA has had a long-standing relationship with TBK with its Product development program. The Program is an instructive training for enterprises across the country targeting SMEs with a focus on export readiness for regional and international markets. The 2 Agencies have been working together on the program for more than 5 years.
Ms Floice Mukabana Ag CEO at KEPROBA, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, lauding TBK for their commitment to further elevate Kenya's tea industry on the global stage.
As Kenya's tea industry continues to expand its footprint globally, KEPROBA and TBK remain committed to supporting tea companies in reaching new heights of excellence. This collaboration stands as a testament to their shared vision of making Kenyan tea a hallmark of quality and sustainability in the international market.
Under this agreement, Tea Board of Kenya and Kenya Export Promotion & Branding Agency will share technical expertise, resources and linkages to enhance the competitiveness, expansion and diversification of Kenya's value added and specialty tea exports. The two institutions will employ interventions in product development, product adaptation and enhancement of exporting skills of tea enterprises.
This collaboration agreement is firmly grounded on the government’s agenda of growing value-added exports and increasing tea farmers’ earnings.
There are almost over 50 varieties of tea grown in Kenya all with known and scientifically proven health benefits. Kenyan tea is unique for its tart, rich and delicate aroma besides having unique specialty. Our tea aids in weight loss, digestion, and acts as an antioxidant. In Kenya, White, Black, Yellow and Green tea are the main varieties with black tea commanding 95% of the market.
Kenya is keen on exporting value added tea to boost tea export revenue and is capitalizing on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) pilot project to target African markets. Kenya has so far exported value added tea to Ghana and is keen on diversifying her exports to the rest of the world.