Kenyan Orthodox Tea Auction Successfully Launched

Christine
Sep 29
2 min read

The launch of the orthodox tea auction in Kenya has marked an important step forward for the industry.

While an orthodox auction was attempted some years back, this recent event has shown real promise and given us confidence that the initiative will last.

CS of Agriculture launches the Kenyan Orthodox Tea Auction in Kenya, signaling new opportunities for orthodox tea exporters and global buyers. — Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture officially launching the Kenyan Orthodox Tea Auction, marking a historic milestone for Kenya’s tea industry.

Encouraging Market Support

The auction offered 111,839 kilograms of orthodox teas, presented in 3,030 packages, and every lot received strong market support. This was a clear signal that buyers are ready for Kenyan orthodox teas and willing to back them at scale.

Among the grades sold, Pekoe achieved the highest prices, followed by OP1, OPA, OP, FBOPFSP, FBOPF, GBOP, GFBOP, FOP, BOP, and FBOP.

These results confirm that there is a genuine demand for a wide spectrum of Kenyan orthodox teas, from the finer grades to the broader market categories.

Why the Kenyan Orthodox Tea Auction Matters for Kenya

Kenya is already established as the leading exporter of black CTC teas, and the introduction of a sustainable orthodox auction opens an entirely new avenue for growth.

The market for whole leaf and specialty teas continues to expand globally, and Kenyan producers are now better positioned to meet this demand with consistency and quality.

The orthodox auction also provides buyers with a transparent and reliable platform, ensuring access to fresh production that meets international standards.

For factories and exporters, it creates the opportunity to diversify offerings and capture more value and earnings for farmers.

Looking Ahead

The success of this first Kenyan Orthodox Tea Auction has shown that the potential of Kenyan orthodox teas is significant.

The challenge now is to maintain this momentum and build trust with buyers who are eager to see Kenya succeed not only in CTC but also in orthodox production.

If this momentum is sustained, Kenya could become a leading supplier not only of CTC but also of high-quality orthodox teas to buyers worldwide.

Kenya’s Agriculture Cabinet Secretary sampling orthodox tea grades OPA, FOP and OP1 before auction, as Kenyan orthodox tea prepares for export to markets including Russia, Iraq, UAE, Turkey and Iran — The Agriculture Cabinet Secretary tasting OPA, FOP, and OP1 orthodox teas ahead of auction, as Kenya positions itself to meet demand from major markets like Russia, Iraq, the UAE, Turkey and Iran

Partner With a Trusted Kenyan Orthodox Tea Exporter

We see this as the beginning of a stronger and more diverse Kenyan tea industry.

Our commitment is to support buyers who want to explore orthodox teas and to make the process of sourcing from Kenya simple, transparent, and rewarding.

If you are looking to source Kenyan orthodox teas such as Pekoe, OP1, OPA, or other orthodox tea grades, we invite you to connect with us.