Teas We Deal With
From the highlands of East Africa to cups around the world — we source, broker, and champion teas of exceptional character.
Black Tea – CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl)
Bold. Bright. Brewed for the World.
CTC black tea is East Africa’s most traded and celebrated style — a testament to the region’s volcanic soils, altitude, and consistent rainfall. The Crush, Tear, Curl process produces small, uniform pellets that infuse quickly, releasing a rich, coppery liquor with a brisk, full-bodied character.
Our CTC teas are sourced from the prime growing regions of Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda — estates and smallholder factories renowned for brightness, strength, and that signature African “bite” that blenders worldwide seek. Whether destined for tea bags, iced tea, or the breakfast blends of Europe and the Middle East, our CTC offerings deliver consistency and quality at volume.
Ideal for: Blending, tea bag production, retail packing, food service
Black Tea Orthodox
Crafted the Old Way. Revered for Good Reason.
Orthodox black tea honours a centuries-old tradition of careful, whole-leaf processing. Where CTC prioritises volume and uniformity, orthodox embraces complexity — long, wiry leaves that unfurl in the cup, releasing layered flavours ranging from floral and muscatel to malty and woody.
East African orthodox teas, particularly from select Kenyan and Rwandan gardens, are earning growing recognition among specialty buyers and connoisseurs. We work with estates that take pride in their withering, rolling, and sorting — producing teas that stand beautifully on their own and command premium positioning in the market.
Ideal for: Loose-leaf retail, specialty tea brands, high-end hospitality, single-origin collections
Green Tea
Delicate. Verdant. Surprisingly African.
East Africa’s high-altitude gardens are producing green teas that are quietly turning heads in the global specialty market. Shielded from the harshest sun and processed swiftly to lock in freshness, these teas carry a clean, vegetal brightness — lighter and more approachable than many Asian counterparts, with a gentle sweetness and a lingering, grassy finish.
We broker green teas that reflect the unique terroir of the East African highlands: a distinct profile that opens doors for brands looking to diversify beyond traditional origins.
Ideal for: Health and wellness brands, specialty retail, export to European and Asian markets
Purple Tea
Rare. Remarkable. Uniquely Kenyan.
Purple tea is one of the most exciting developments in the global tea world — and Kenya is its home. Developed by the Tea Research Foundation of Kenya (TRIT), this remarkable cultivar (TRFK 306/1) gets its distinctive deep-purple hue from high concentrations of anthocyanins — the same antioxidant pigments found in blueberries and red wine.
With a smooth, mild flavour profile and an extraordinary antioxidant content, purple tea is capturing serious interest from health-focused consumers and nutraceutical brands worldwide. It brews to a violet-burgundy cup that shifts to pink with a squeeze of lemon — a sensory experience unlike any other.
As specialists operating from the heart of East Africa, we are uniquely positioned to source and broker authentic Kenyan purple tea with full traceability.
Ideal for: Health and wellness brands, functional beverage developers, specialty tea retailers, premium loose-leaf collections
White Tea
The Purest Expression of the Leaf.
White tea represents the lightest touch in tea processing — young buds and early leaves, gently dried, with minimal intervention. The result is a tea of extraordinary delicacy: pale golden in the cup, soft on the palate, with subtle floral and honeyed notes that reward slow, attentive brewing.
East African white teas, while less widely known, reflect the purity of highland-grown material harvested with great care. For buyers seeking something refined, traceable, and beautifully differentiated, these teas offer compelling value and storytelling.
Ideal for: Premium loose-leaf retail, luxury hospitality, gift collections, specialty blending
Interested in sourcing any of these teas? Our team at Africa Tea Brokers is on the ground — connecting buyers with the finest East African teas through the Mombasa Tea Auction and direct channels.