Ketapa
Kenya Tea Packers Limited (KETEPA) is a Kericho-based tea blending and packaging company, founded in 1978 and wholly owned by KTDA Holdings, serving Kenyan household consumers, B2B contract packing clients, and export markets with a portfolio of over 50 tea, herbal infusion, and bottled water products.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersKericho, Kenya
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Ketapa does
Kenya Tea Packers Limited (KETEPA), founded in 1978 and headquartered in Kericho, Kenya, is the country's leading tea blending and packaging company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kenya Tea Development Agency (Holdings) Limited (KTDA), which gives KETEPA privileged access to a network of more than 60 KTDA-owned tea factories and over 650,000 small-scale farmers. The company blends, processes, and packages a portfolio of more than 50 products spanning black tea (Fahari ya Kenya, Ketepa Pride, Safari Pure), green tea (Jani), purple tea, white tea, orthodox tea, twelve-plus flavored tea variants, herbal infusions (Sleep Easy, Immunitea, Vitalitea, Heart Chai, Lemon Grass, Hibiscus), bottled water under the Maisha Pure Water brand, and limited-edition gift packs. Manufacturing is supported by ISO 22000:2018 food safety and ISO 9001:2015 quality management certifications, plus state-of-the-art sealing and packaging machinery with heat-sealed teabag capability.
KETEPA generates revenue through three primary streams: one-time retail sales of packaged tea and bottled water through traditional Kenyan retail and a direct e-commerce storefront (ketepa.com/shop/); professional-services contract packing for external clients with custom branding and contract packaging, including performance reporting on efficiency, quality, traceability, and profitability; and export sales to international markets via a dedicated Export Markets function. Pricing is unit-based and ranges from KSh 24 for a 300ml water bottle to KSh 5,250 for a 12-chamber luxury gift box, positioning the portfolio across mass-market, premium specialty, and gifting tiers.
The customer base spans Kenyan household consumers (primary), enterprise B2B clients using contract packing services, and international buyers in export markets. Distribution leverages KTDA's upstream farmer network for raw leaf supply, the company's own packaging facility for value-add manufacturing, and a multi-channel downstream mix of retail, e-commerce, and export. Marketing is conducted across owned social channels, recipe-driven content marketing, and earned media through industry awards. The company is privately held with no public listing, no disclosed venture funding, and no recorded M&A activity.
Ketapa firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ketapa
- Legal name
- Kenya Tea Packers Limited
- Website
- https://ketepa.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Kenya Tea Packers Limited (KETEPA) is a Kericho-based tea blending and packaging company, founded in 1978 and wholly owned by KTDA Holdings, serving Kenyan household consumers, B2B contract packing clients, and export markets with a portfolio of over 50 tea, herbal infusion, and bottled water products.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ketapa industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Packaged Tea and Beverages
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192), Beverage Manufacturing (3121)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Tea Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Tea (Leaf, Bagged, Instant, Concentrates) (CRADAHAE), Coffee & Tea Beverage Co-Packing (RTD Coffee/Tea, Cold Brew) (AFAFAIAD), Specialty Coffee & Tea (Single-Origin, Micro-lot, Premium) Processing (AFAFADAJ)
Keywords
Where Ketapa is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kericho
- HQ country
- Kenya
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ketapa business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Tea Product Sales: Direct sales of packaged tea products across multiple varieties including black tea, flavored tea, green tea, purple tea, white tea, orthodox tea, and herbal infusions through retail and e-commerce channels
- Bottled Water (Maisha Pure Water): Sales of packaged drinking water under Maisha Pure Water brand in various sizes (300ml to 20L)
- Contract Packing Services: Customized branding and contract packaging services for external clients, planning and overseeing contract packing projects ensuring timelines, specifications and quality requirements are met
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Ketepa Pride Black Tea - various pack sizes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Fahari Ya Kenya - Kenya's top tea brand |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Safari Pure - premium blend |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Flavored Teas - various flavors |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Herbal Infusions |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Specialty Teas |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Maisha Pure Water |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Luxury Gift Items |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Ketapa product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kenya Tea Packers (KETEPA) is the leading tea blending and packaging company in Kenya, sourcing, blending and packaging Kenyan tea leaves into a portfolio of over 50 products including black tea, flavoured tea, green tea, purple tea, white tea, orthodox tea, and herbal infusions. The company also bottles Maisha Pure Water and provides contract packing and customized branding services for external clients.
Product overview
Ketapa (Kenya Tea Packers Limited) is Kenya's leading tea blending and packaging company offering over 50 products. The portfolio includes core black tea brands (Ketepa Pride, Safari Pure, Fahari ya Kenya), green tea (Jani), specialty teas (Purple Tea, White Tea, Orthodox Tea), flavored teas (12+ varieties including Earl Grey, Cardamom, Vanilla), herbal infusions (Sleep Easy, Vitalitea, Immunitea, Heart Chai, Lemon Grass, Hibiscus), bottled water (Maisha Pure Water), and gift products (Limited Edition Packs, Gift Tea Boxes). Products range from economy to premium segments, available as loose tea, tea bags (tagged/untagged/enveloped), and gift packaging.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Fahari ya Kenya: Top trusted tea brand in Kenya, blended from medium-sized granules of tea with distinct aroma and rich colour
- Ketepa Pride
- Safari Pure
- Jani Green Tea
- Purple Tea
- Vitalitea
- Immunitea
- Sleep Easy
- Maisha Pure Water
- Heart Chai
- Pure Hibiscus
- Chai Halisi
Products and services
- Ketepa Pride Black Tea Flagship black tea brand blended from finer granules for full, fast infusion, available in tagged, untagged, catering packs and jars (25-100 sachets) for households and hospitality.
- Safari Pure Tea Premium tea blend offering superior taste and rich aroma of Kenyan tea, available as loose tea, enveloped and tagged tea bags, and cylindrical tins.
- Fahari ya Kenya Tea Number one trusted tea brand in Kenya, blended from medium-sized granules with distinct aroma and rich colour, available in soft packs and Tangawizi (ginger) variants.
- Jani Green Tea All-natural, light green, fresh and aromatic green tea with delicate taste and health benefits, available as loose tea and tea bags in various flavours.
- Ketepa Purple Tea Specialty tea rich in anthocyanin with anti-inflammatory and anti-viral benefits, available as loose leaf and tea bags.
- White Tea Premium specialty tea made from immature tea leaves with minimal processing, high antioxidant levels and lower caffeine than black or green tea.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 50 products across multiple tea varieties
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Ketapa
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ketapa technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Ketapa partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Kenya Tea Development Agency Holdings (KTDA Holdings)coreKETEPA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kenya Tea Development Agency (Holdings) Limited. This parent-subsidiary relationship provides KETEPA with access to KTDA's network of 60+ tea factories and 650,000+ small-scale farmers, ensuring a reliable supply chain for tea sourcing and manufacturing.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ketapa competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- James Finlay (Swire Group): James Finlay is a major producer and blender of Kenyan tea with sourcing and processing operations in Kenya. Directly competes with Ketepa for Kenyan black tea volumes, contract packing, and export markets.
- Limuru Tea Company: Long-established Kenyan tea company with own estate and packaging operations. Competes with Ketepa in branded Kenyan tea and leverages similar heritage/heritage positioning.
- Kapchorua Tea Kenya: Listed Kenyan tea producer with own plantation and blending operations. Comparable as a Kenyan tea company serving both domestic and export markets with a parallel product range.
- Sasini Tea (Sasini Plc): Kenyan agricultural company with a tea division producing and selling packed tea within Kenya and export markets. Closely comparable in geography, product mix, and target customer base.
Emerging players
- Dilmah Tea: Single-origin Ceylon tea company with growing presence in premium and herbal tea globally. Comparable in the specialty/premium tea bag segment where Ketepa competes with Safari Pure and herbal SKUs.
Broad incumbents
- Tata Consumer Products (Tetley): Global tea and beverage company behind Tetley and Tata Tea. Directly comparable in product category (blended black and specialty tea bags) and competes in East African and export markets.
- Twinings (Associated British Foods): Heritage premium tea brand competing in the flavored and specialty tea category (Earl Grey, herbal). Overlaps with Ketepa's flavored and herbal infusion product lines in export markets.
- Unilever Tea (Lipton / Brooke Bond): Global tea giant with mass-market brands (Lipton, Brooke Bond) sold across East Africa. Competes with Ketepa in mainstream black tea and tea bags in Kenyan retail, though as part of a much broader portfolio.
Others
- Twiga Foods (consumer distribution): Kenya's largest FMCG distribution platform. Relevant as the dominant retail-distribution channel through which Ketepa's products reach Kenyan consumers, shaping shelf positioning and reach.
Regional players
- Bidco Africa (Drascom): Large East African FMCG manufacturer producing cooking oils, soaps, and beverages. Comparable as a regional branded CPG manufacturer competing for retail shelf space and consumer wallet share in Kenya.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ketapa social profiles
Digital presenceKetapa compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Ketapa financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ketapa leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Ketapa funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ketapa M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ketapa
What does Ketapa do?
Kenya Tea Packers (KETEPA) is the leading tea blending and packaging company in Kenya, sourcing, blending and packaging Kenyan tea leaves into a portfolio of over 50 products including black tea, flavoured tea, green tea, purple tea, white tea, orthodox tea, and herbal infusions. The company also bottles Maisha Pure Water and provides contract packing and customized branding services for external clients.
Is Ketapa a public or private company?
Ketapa is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Ketapa founded?
Ketapa was founded in 1978. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Ketapa based?
Ketapa is headquartered in Kericho, Kenya, in the Africa region.
How does Ketapa make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tea Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are bottled Water (Maisha Pure Water) and contract Packing Services.
Who are Ketapa's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are James Finlay (Swire Group), Limuru Tea Company, Kapchorua Tea Kenya and Sasini Tea (Sasini Plc). Dilmah Tea is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Tata Consumer Products (Tetley), Twinings (Associated British Foods) and Unilever Tea (Lipton / Brooke Bond). Twiga Foods (consumer distribution) is listed as an others. Bidco Africa (Drascom) is listed as a regional player.
Does Ketapa have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ketapa.
What industry is Ketapa in?
Ketapa's product category is Packaged Tea and Beverages. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFADAG, Tea Blending & Flavoring, with a secondary code of CRADAHAE, Tea (Leaf, Bagged, Instant, Concentrates). Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2080.