Gatitu Tea Factory | Nyayo Tea Zones

Processing Facility

Strengthening Value Addition in the Tea Sector

The Corporation completed the construction of its second tea factory at Gatitu in Kirinyaga County in 2022 to process tea from the buffer zones in the East of the Rift Valley, namely Kirinyaga, Embu, Mathira and Nyeri, strengthening tea value addition and supporting sustainable growth in the tea sector.

Factory Overview

Gatitu Tea Factory is the Corporation's second tea processing factory, completed in 2022 to process tea from the buffer zones in the East of the Rift Valley, namely Kirinyaga, Embu, Mathira and Nyeri.

The factory was established to strengthen tea value addition by increasing processing capacity and supporting tea produced within the Corporation's tea buffer zones.

Gatitu Factory complements the Corporation's first processing facility at Kipchabo and plays a strategic role in expanding market access through quality tea processing and value addition.

2022

Commissioned

2 Lines

Factory Design

CTC

Operational Line

2026/27

Orthodox Expansion

Processing & Capacity

Gatitu Tea Factory is designed as a two-line factory to process both conventional CTC teas and specialty Orthodox teas, in line with strategic market trends in the tea industry.
Currently, only the CTC processing line is operational, with installation of the Orthodox tea processing line planned for the 2026/2027 financial year.

NTZDC Value Addition Unit

The Corporation embarked on a value addition strategy in 2014 to realize its full commercial potential through tea processing, blending, packaging and branding for both local and international markets.

Its flagship tea products, Eco Chabo and other premium tea brands, are already available in local markets across Kenya.

The Corporation's primary Value Addition Unit is located at Kipchabo Tea Factory in Nandi County, while a second blending and packaging unit dedicated to premium Orthodox teas will be established at Gatitu Tea Factory in Kirinyaga County.

Manufacture of Orthodox Teas

To tap into the growing global market for Orthodox tea, the Corporation has embarked on a project in 2026 to install and commission machinery for processing, blending and packaging premium Orthodox teas at both Kipchabo Tea Factory (Nandi County) and Gatitu Tea Factory (Kirinyaga County).

The establishment of Kipchabo and Gatitu Tea Factories has strengthened the Corporation's position as a key player in Kenya's tea industry and supports the Kenya Vision 2030 objective of increasing market access through value addition, processing, packaging and branding of agricultural products.