Private Label Kenyan Tea: How to Pack Your Own Brand with Flexibility & Confidence
- Christine Simon
- Jul 1
- 5 min read
Ever dreamed of seeing your own brand on packs of authentic Kenyan tea, ready for supermarket shelves, cafes, or export?
You don’t need to build a factory to do it. With the right partner in Kenya, you can pack high-quality tea under your brand quickly, flexibly, and with confidence.
But private label isn’t just about putting tea in a box. It’s about protecting your reputation, getting blends your customers will love, and making sure every shipment meets your market’s standards.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through:
What private label Kenyan tea really means
Your packaging and blending options - from tea bags to luxury tins
The process: from sourcing and formulation to packing and export
What affects private label tea prices in Kenya - and why it's advisable to ask for a tailored quote
The risks of choosing the wrong partner - and how to avoid them
Whether you’re an importer, distributor, or building a brand for the first time, this guide will help you make informed decisions and bring your vision to life.
What is Private Label Kenyan Tea?
Private label Kenyan tea means high-quality Kenyan tea packed under your brand, ready for retail, HORECA, or gifting. We handle everything, sourcing, blending, packing, while you focus on growing your brand.
You might see this called:
Own brand tea
OEM tea
White label tea
Contract packing
All these mean one thing: you sell authentic Kenyan tea under your brand name.
Flexible Packing to Match Your Market
Whether you need:
Black tea, green tea, flavoured tea, or herbal infusions
String & tag tea bags, heat-sealed or crimped envelopes
Tagless round or square tea bags in foil or catering packs
Pyramid tea bags
Loose-leaf in pouches, cartons, bone china, luxury tins, or hand-made wooden boxes
Pint bags for airlines or food service
We offer the flexibility to pack in any format that suits your customers and your market.
Designing a Product is Designing a Relationship
Behind every successful private label is a strong partnership.
We believe product design isn’t just packaging, it’s understanding your vision, market, and customer.
From first-time entrants to established brands, we dedicate account managers to study your market needs and help tailor solutions that add real value to your brand.
Our Process: From Idea to Shelf
Sourcing
All teas, herbs, and flavours are sourced using the standard Kenyan tea industry standard that is through the Mombasa Tea Auction or trusted private gardens, guaranteeing quality and consistency.
Formulation
Our master tea tasters and blenders work to understand your market and craft blends that meet your target flavour profile, whether brisk, mellow, aromatic, or premium single-estate teas.
Product Design
Tell us about your brand story and your consumers. We’ll share our decades of market insight to co-create packaging your market will love.
Example Brand Story A: MALIK Tea
MALIK, an Arabic word meaning KING, shows what’s possible when private label tea is built around more than just a product: it becomes a brand story your customers can truly connect with.
MALIK was developed for an importer who wanted to offer something richer than standard tea on a shelf: a brand that speaks of heritage, quiet pride, and everyday luxury, rooted in the bright, brisk character of authentic Kenyan black tea.
Working closely with our blenders and designers, MALIK became a line that feels timeless yet modern, with clear choices designed to resonate with Middle Eastern consumers:
A clean yet regal logo, embossed in subtle gold foil
Warm, earthy packaging tones balancing authenticity with a premium feel
Carefully balanced blends that deliver rich colour and full-bodied taste, ideal for daily drinking, yet unmistakably distinct from generic teas.
The process began by asking a simple but critical question. "Who is your customer, and what do they value most?"
By building from that starting point, MALIK became more than packaging and tea: it became a brand story that fits seamlessly across markets, from Gulf retail shelves to premium foodservice and gifting channels.
At its heart, MALIK Tea is a reminder that private label success isn’t just about what you sell; it’s about what your customers feel, trust, and share, cup after cup.
And that’s what we help importers and brand owners achieve: a product that carries your name, backed by world-class Kenyan tea quality and a story your market can truly believe in.
Manufacturing, Warehousing & Logistics
Kenyan Tea is packed in ISO 22000:2005, ISO 9001:2000, and HACCP certified facilities, ensuring global food safety standards.
Finished products are stored and shipped under strict quality and hygiene controls.
What is the Private Label Kenyan Tea Price in Kenya?
It’s a fair question, and an important one.
But the answer is more complex than it might seem. Pricing depends on several key factors:
Kenyan tea grades (e.g., PF1, BP1, Dust, orthodox)
Packaging type and design (from simple cartons to custom tins or luxury wooden boxes)
Print quality and finishes (e.g., matte, gloss, embossing, foil)
Order quantity (MOQ): The Kenyan tea industry standard is typically one 40ft container, though many exporters will consider a 20ft container for an initial trial order.
Because every brand’s vision and market positioning are unique, it isn’t practical to publish a single price that fits all.
Instead, we recommend sharing your specific requirements with us, so we can prepare a personalised quotation that aligns with your target market, design preferences, and budget.
The Hidden Risk: Why Choosing the Wrong Packer Can Cost You
Private label isn’t just about packing, it’s your brand reputation on every shelf.
Imagine launching your tea brand only to:
Find packaging flaws that make your product look cheap
Receive inconsistent blends that confuse loyal customers
Miss shipment deadlines, hurting retail relationships
These mistakes cost not just money, but credibility you’ve worked years to build.
That’s why choosing an experienced partner matters: someone who understands both Kenyan tea as well as your target market.
Why Private Label Kenyan Tea Works for Importers
Start fast, without building factories
Use your brand to stand out in competitive markets
Offer customers tea blended and packed at origin, for fresher taste
Leverage Kenyan tea’s global reputation for brisk, bright cups
Example Brand Story B: OCHRE Tea
OCHRE shows what’s possible when you .pair the bright, brisk character of Kenyan tea with clean, earth-toned packaging inspired by modern European design.
Inspired by the natural pigment itself, OCHRE uses a clean palette of soft white and neutral beige, earthy yet sophisticated. The minimalist design isn’t just aesthetic: it appeals directly to modern European consumers who value simplicity, sustainability, and authenticity over flashy packaging.
Behind the brand is more than just look and feel:
Sourcing: Bright, brisk Kenyan black tea, selected for its consistent quality and clean taste that suits European palates.
Blending: Master blenders refine the cup profile — balanced and smooth, with just enough character to stand out.
Packaging: Natural textures and subtle finishes create shelf appeal in retail, gift, and hospitality channels, without overwhelming the senses.
For importers considering a private label, OCHRE is proof that successful brands begin by deeply understanding the market:
OCHRE positions itself not by shouting luxury, but by whispering authenticity, showing how Kenyan tea, thoughtfully packed and branded, can become part of Europe’s daily ritual.
That’s the real opportunity of private label Kenyan tea: building not just a product, but a brand that quietly but powerfully fits into people’s lives.
Ready to Build Your Brand?
Your vision deserves more than just packing, it needs partnership.
Let’s help you:
Develop blends that fit your market
Choose the right packaging for your brand story
Pack tea under the highest global food safety standards
Contact us today for a custom quotation and start your journey to your own brand of private label Kenyan tea.
Comments