President William Ruto has announced plans to develop a distinct Kenyan tea brand to enhance its global market presence and increase farmers’ income.
The initiative includes collaborations with English tea marketers and aims to create a globally recognized brand, similar to how other countries have branded their specific products.
According to Ruto, this move is part of a broader strategy to improve the tea sector in Kenya, including tax relief on packaging materials to boost the industry’s competitiveness. The President emphasized the need for a comprehensive strategy to grow, manufacture, package, sell, and brand Kenyan tea to ensure farmers receive the best value for their crop.
” We need a strategy as a country on how to grow, manufacture, package, sell, and brand our teas. We are the third-largest producer of tea, yet we do not have a Kenyan tea brand.
We cannot be producers, and yet we do not have a Kenyan brand. It is old in all manner of brands, except the Kenyan brand. We must correct that. added President Ruto.
This strategy was announced in partnership with a UK-based company and is expected to make Kenya’s tea exports more profitable by selling more value-added tea in the global market.
Additionally, the government is collaborating with LIPTON Teas and Infusions to enhance the quality of Kenyan tea and raise farmers’ earnings. The initiative includes the establishment of a Tea Innovation and Technology Academy at the University of Kabianga, which will play a crucial role in training farmers to acquire modern skills in tea growing. This academy is part of a broader effort to ensure that Kenyan tea meets global standards and fetches premium prices.