Awards Galore at Industry Fete

The tea industry fraternity and partners converged in Nairobi on 1st October 2010 to celebrate the 5th National Tea Drinking Day and witness presentation of awards to winners of the 50th Tea Classes Competition and the 2nd Tea Packers Competition.

The event marked the climax of a series of activities spearheaded by the Tea Board of Kenya under the Local Generic Promotion Campaign (LGPC) for the year 2010.

In keeping with the industry’s commitment to uphold quality, over 70 factories participated in the three main categories of the Tea Classes Competition:- CTC Commercial Manufacture; Special Manufacture and: Specialty Manufacture.

In the CTC Commercial Manufacture category, Kimunye Tea Factory (KTDA) clinched the Gold Medal for Class No. 329 BPI as Chemomi Tea Factory of Eastern Produce of Kenya (EPK) Ltd emerged tops in the Class No. 330 PF1. Savani Tea Factory (EPK) led in the Class NO. 331 PD. The Best Set of Samples trophy  in the category went to Karirana Estates Ltd.

Tinderet Tea Estates (Williamson Tea) emerged the winner in Classes No. 325 BP1 and 327 PD of the Special Manufacture Category. Changoi Tea Factory (Williamson Tea) took the top position in Class 326 PF1 as well as the Best Set of Samples trophy in the category.

Kenya Tea Development Agency dominated the Specialty Manufacture category as the sole entrant for Black Orthodox Tea, Green Orthodox Tea and White Tea.

Awards were also presented to Tea Buyers and Brokers with James Finlays (Msa) Ltd topping the list as the buyer who paid the highest price (USD 5.48 per Kg) for Kenyan tea at the Mombasa Tea Auction during the year ending 30th June 2009. Centerline Tea Brokers Ltd received top recognition as the broker that sold the highest price (USD 5.48 PER Kg) for Kenyan tea as Union Tea Brokers took the lead as the broker that sold the highest average priced PF1 Grade at USD 3.46 per Kg. At a volume of 36.7 million Kgs, Combrok Tea Brokers was awarded for having sold the highest volume of Kenyan tea during the period as Lipton Ltd took the accolades for having bought the highest volume of Kenyan tea.

The 2nd Tea Packers Competition capped the event with packaging firms receiving awards for best efforts in Branding, Marketing and Value Addition.

Ketepa’s Fahari Ya Kenya brand received the top award for Brand Name Resonance.

In the Marketing category, Ketepa received the overall award and product diversification award as Ngorongo Tea Factory topped in local sales growth.

Gold Crown took the top overall award for Value Addition as well as total export sales in the category.

In her remarks during the occasion, Tea Board of Kenya Managing Director Mrs. Sicily Kariuki observed that “tea is gradually gaining acceptance as an 'all time' beverage, as Kenyans get exposed to more varieties of brands and recipes”.  She further expressed optimism that a strong tea drinking culture was evolving in the country.