The KENYA INSTITUTE for PUBLIC
POLICY RESEARCH and ANALYSIS
No. 3/2017-2018
Supporting Sustainable Development through Research and Capacity Building
Promoting Purple Tea to Enhance 
Diversification in Kenya’s Tea industry
John Nyangena, Hannah Wang’ombe and Augustus Muluvi, Policy Analysts, KIPPRA
The discovery of purple tea by the Tea Research Institute in 2011 provided an opportunity for diversification and increased competitiveness of Kenyan tea. Purple tea has higher yields, is more adaptive to drought, and can fetch up to ten times more than processed green tea at the international market. To harness the full benefits of purple tea, more effort is needed 
to reduce the cost of setting up specialized factories, developing the necessary technical capacity 
for processing, and address current market barriers.
Introduction anthocyanins, the same antioxidants that give color 
to foods such as blueberries, cranberries, grapes, 
In 2016, tea accounted for 40% of the marketed and even red cabbage or eggplants. The clone 
agricultural production and contributed 25% of total thrives on highlands 1500-2500 meters above sea 
export earnings amounting to US$ 1.25 billion.  In level on rich volcanic soils. 
addition, the tea sector provides livelihoods to over Currently, Kenya exports approximately 60 tonnes 
600,000 smallholders who contribute approximately of purple tea to Japan, China, North America and 
60% of total tea production. However, the industry and Europe. While the prices for ordinary tea have 
suffers from low earnings and low diversification. been falling in the international market, prices for 
Over 95% of Kenya tea is black tea produced using purple tea have been rising. Locally, a  kilogramme 
traditional methods of cut-tear–curl (CTC) teas which of purple tea can fetch up to Ksh 2,600, which is 10 
gives it a robust taste. The product is mainly used times more than processed green tea which fetches 
for blending lower quality teas from other countries, Ksh 200 per kilogramme. A well established bush 
and only 14% of tea exported is value added; the can yield up to 2.5 kilogrammes of leaves  in a year 
remaining is sold in bulk form. Global market for as opposed to 1.5 kilogrammes for green tea.  In 
black CTC is saturated, competition is stiff, and addition, purple tea is known to withstand adverse 
auction prices are highly volatile, leading to declining weather conditions such as  drought and frost as 
earnings. well as disease and pests.
The discovery of clone TRFK 306/1 of purple tea was Besides economic gains, its rich flavour in oxidized 
in line with the aspirations of Vision 2030 that Kenya form enables purple tea to have multiple health 
needs to diversify its tea products and add value to benefits. For example, drinking purple tea helps 
enhance productivity and boost economic growth in anti-obesity through the inhibition of lipase, the 
in the agricultural sector. While development of enzyme that breaks down fats in the body, and 
Kenya’s purple tea is still at the infancy, it is projected providing anti-aging benefits to the skin. In addition, 
that its production has the potential to create new it has low caffeine content, is highly refreshing and 
markets and generate up to US$ 60 million over the has a unique thirst-quenching flavour, and  has no 
next 3-5 years and comprise up to 5% of Kenya’s tea additives or no known allergens. 
export market. The production of a unique specialty 
product such as purple tea offers great promise in Research has shown that the anthocyanins and 
transforming Kenya’s tea industry and boosting the catechins contained in purple tea are useful in 
sub-sector’s competitiveness as well as earnings to breaking down free radicals in the body and in 
farmers and the country at large. reducing inflammation in the body cells. Further, 
anthocyanins are essential health-boosting 
antioxidants which help fight free radicals in the 
Benefits of Purple Tea body, therefore reducing the risk of hypertension and 
cardiac arrests. Anthocyanin extractives are further 
Purple tea derives its name from its distinctive, used as drug supplements, preservatives and in the 
purple-reddish leaves associated with high levels of 
KIPPRA Policy Brief  No.  3/2017-2018 1 
production of fast-moving consumer goods such as Germany. However, entry into these markets faces 
healthcare products, foods and confectionaries. market barriers, including international standards 
especially on quality, and food safety requirements. 
Other challenges facing the tea sector in general 
Challenges Facing Purple Tea identified by the study include high cost of labour 
and energy, limited incentive for production of 
A recent study by KIPPRA identified capacity gaps other types of tea, small size of land and hence low 
in the tea value chain in general and specifically productivity among small scale farmers, and lack of 
for the speciality teas. The gaps include insufficient a clear programme targeting tea promotion, among 
numbers of tea specialists, statisticians, market others.  
researchers and policy experts. The gaps exist in 
institutions mandated to promote tea production, 
processing, marketing and research, among others. Scaling Up Purple Tea Production
At the national level, the country does not have an 
operational tea policy while at the counties there Kenya would gain immensely from purple tea by 
is lack of a clear legal and regulatory framework to adopting the following key measures: 
effectively support the tea sector. 1. The Tea Directorate should enhance cottage 
The current production of purple tea in the country is factories to raise the productive capacity in the 
low. Only a small proportion of farmers are engaged country. There is need to reduce the acreage 
in its production. The majority of farmers are for licensing speciality tea factories from 250 
reluctant to adopt purple tea mainly due to expected hectares to cater for small scale production. The 
income loss if they were to replace their black tea small scale farmers also need to be encouraged, 
bushes. Although the time it takes before the plant through incentives, to replace their existing black 
is fully established is much less than in the case of tea bushes. 
black tea (3 compared to 5 years), the loss of income 2. The Tea Directorate should partner with 
during the waiting period discourages them, since technical institutions to build the capacity for skill 
they have no other sources of income to support development on tea extracts to fully benefit from 
their livelihoods. the diverse products. The processing capacity 
Processing purple tea requires specialized plant, of the various factories should be enhanced to 
equipment and technical know-how. Most of the maximize on the benefits. This will contribute to 
factory capacities in the country consist of wilting, the overall growth of value addition in the tea 
bruising, oxidation, rolling and drying processes industry.
needed to produce black CTC tea. The processing 3. Purple tea requires aggressive marketing 
of purple tea requires additional processes, strategies through investments in promotion 
specifically for fixation, yellowing and curing which and market intelligence. There is need for 
requires dedicated lines for production. Currently, of international negotiations to rationalize the 
all the 66 Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA) standards in the existing markets for tea. This 
tea factories, only Kangaita tea factory in Kirinyaga will include creation of a Kenyan tea brand 
County has a production line that can process purple in the international market with geographical 
tea. indications to enhance competitiveness. To 
Marketing of purple tea is a challenge both locally promote the marketing of purple tea, the East 
and internationally. Domestically, the annual per African Tea Trade Association (EATTA) is 
capita consumption of black tea is estimated at 0.47 considering expanding its auction to purple, 
kilogrammes. The consumption of purple tea is even green and other teas. EATTA has commenced 
much less due to inadequate knowledge about the a feasibility study to this initiative. Further, the 
variety. Internationally, Japan is the main market for Purple and Specialty Tea Association of Kenya 
purple tea. Other markets include USA, China and recently committed to supporting and promoting 
the interests of producers, buyers, exporters and 
other participants along the value chain.
. 
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the Think Tank Initiative of IDRC, who have continued to support Twitter: @kipprakenya
the Institute’s activities over the years.
2 KIPPRA Policy Brief  No. 3/2017-2018