Frequently Asked Questions

TBK is the short for Tea Board of Kenya.

The Tea Board Kenya is a statutory organization established in 1950 under the Tea Act (Cap 343) of the laws of Kenya.  Headquartered in Nairobi - Kenya, the Tea Board is mandated to regulate the tea industry in all aspects of tea growing, research, manufacture, trade and promotion in both the local and the international markets. The Board also disseminates information relating to tea and advises the Government on all policy matters regarding the tea industry through the Ministry of Agriculture. 

‘Tea’ has been clearly defined in the Tea Act, 1950. As per provision of Tea Act, ‘Tea’ means the plant Camellia Sinensis as well as all varieties of the product known commercially as tea made from the leaves of the plant Camellia Sinensis including green tea.

The tea processing in any factory in the traditional way comprises the following phases, Withering, Rolling, Fermentation, Drying, and Sorting & Grading. Tea, mainly the black tea is also being further processed with the help of tea bagging machine to manufacture ‘tea bags’.
 

Made tea or Tea manufactured from green tea leaves is generally classified into two types Black Tea and Green Tea. Green tea is different from Black tea since fermentation of green leaves is arrested in manufacturing green tea.

Teas are essentially of three grades – leaf, broken and dust. In each of these main grades, the tea is further classified according to size and final grades generally bear different names.

Leaf Grades

Orange Pekoe (O.P) – This consists of long, thin and wiry leaves containing tip or bud leaf. The liquors are generally light or pale in colour but are highly flavoury when infused from high grown teas.

Pekoe (P) - The leaves are slightly shorter and not so wiry as those of O.P. The liquors, however, have more colour and the teas brew quicker than O.P.

Broken Grades

Broken Orange Pekoe (B.O.P) – These are smaller than any leaf grades and usually contain tips. The liquors have good colour and strength.

Fannings or Pekoe Fannings –These are smaller than B.O.P. and are quick brewing and give good colour liquors.

Dusts

These are smaller particles of tea, and are very useful for quick brewing. The liquor produced have both strength and colour. Dusts are extensively used for catering purpose.

Tea Tasting Like any other industrial product, tea is also assessed for its quality and value. This is being done in the first instance, by the tea maker in the factory to ensure of the quality of the product and to prevent defects if any. The made tea, is also tested by the commercial tasters (generally known as broker) for determining the quality and its value. The term ‘taste’ is used here in its general sense and includes aroma.

Tea tasting is aimed at describing and evaluating teas in the form of individual grades or as blended product. The description and evaluation include the appearance of the dry tea, of the infused leaf and of the infusion obtained by brewing the tea with boiling water, the taste characteristics of the infusion, commonly called the liquor, etc. During tasting the various characteristics that make up a tea liquor viz. briskness, strength, colour, body, quality and aroma or flavour, are assessed individually.

Tea has for many years been sold in its whole form, it’s until recently that the Tea sector has been exploring the possibility of selling Tea extracts.

The number of recommended cups of tea to drink each day is 4, this gives you optimal benefit.

Republic of Ireland followed by Britain.

An antioxidant is a compound, which retards oxidation. In the body antioxidants can 'soak up' free radicals. Tea, like fruit and vegetables is a natural source of polyphenols and flavonoids which have antioxidant activity.