Empire Teas Kenya

What Empire Teas Kenya does

Empire Teas Kenya (legal entity: Empire Kenya EPZ Limited) is a Mombasa-based, Export Processing Zone (EPZ) tea processing and export company founded in 2017 as part of the Sri Lankan-headquartered Empire Group. The company sources African-grown teas, including Kenyan CTC, hand-rolled orthodox grades (FBOPF SP1, PEKOE, OP1, FOP, FBOPF, OPA), and specialty Purple Tea cultivated at high altitudes, processing them in state-of-the-art facilities equipped with CTC production lines, modern tea-bag machinery (single chamber, double chamber, and metal-free variants), advanced blending systems, and in-house laboratory quality testing. It sells bulk teas, finished retail-ready products, and private-label solutions to international buyers.

The company operates a portfolio of wholly-owned consumer brands — flagship Akina Teas ("With Love From Africa") and heritage brand Thurson Teas — alongside regional market entities including Thurson Teas Poland and Hyson Teas. Its go-to-market is B2B export-oriented: direct sales to international tea importers and distributors across 70+ countries (with explicit presence in Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Guinea, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the CIS region, and West Africa), supplemented by trade-exhibition-driven customer acquisition (notably Gulfood), and end-to-end private-label partnerships covering sourcing, blending, packaging design, and shipment. Pricing is quote-based and project-specific.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across bulk tea exports, custom private-label contracts, finished retail SKUs (tea bag cartons, loose-leaf packs, gift packaging), and specialty African-origin teas. Since founding, Empire Kenya has exported over 7 million kilograms of Kenyan tea, while the parent Empire Group has exceeded 22 million kilograms in cumulative worldwide exports. The company holds FSSC 22000 V6 (2025-2028), FDA Registration 2026, and supporting Heavy Metal, Mycotoxin, Pesticide, Allergen, and GMO compliance declarations — positioning it among the few Kenyan tea exporters with this full regulatory stack. Leadership comprises Founder Lushantha de Silva (a tea taster since 1989) and Managing Director Thushara.

Name

Empire Teas Kenya

Legal name

Empire Kenya EPZ Limited

Website

https://empireteaskenya.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Empire Teas Kenya is a Mombasa-based EPZ B2B tea exporter (founded 2017) that processes CTC, orthodox, and specialty African teas including Purple Tea, selling bulk tea, private-label, and finished retail products under brands Akina and Thurson to buyers in 70+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tea Manufacturing and Exports

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Tea Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Coffee & Tea (Single-Origin, Micro-lot, Premium) Processing (AFAFADAJ), Tea (Leaf, Bagged, Instant, Concentrates) (CRADAHAE)

Keywords

• Bulk tea exports
• Private label tea
• CTC tea processing
• African specialty teas
• Tea blending services

Headquarters

HQ city

Mombasa

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Bulk Tea Exports: Export of bulk teas including CTC and orthodox varieties to international markets, serving both bulk tea buyers and those looking for finished retail-ready products
2. Private Label Services: Custom teas and packaging solutions tailored to client brand specifications, from concept to container, including in-house design and product development
3. Finished Retail Products: Sale of finished products including tea bag cartons (single, double-chamber, pyramid formats), loose-leaf packs, and gift packaging
4. Specialty African Origin Teas: Expertly sourced specialty teas including Purple Tea, Kenyan Orthodox teas, and teas from various African nations

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Empire Teas Kenya is a premium tea exporter offering CTC, orthodox, and specialty African teas including rare Purple Tea. The company provides end-to-end private label services from tea sourcing and expert blending to custom packaging (tea bags, loose-leaf, tins) and global export, serving international buyers and brand partners across 70+ countries from its Mombasa EPZ facilities.

Product overview

Empire Teas Kenya is a premium tea exporter offering a portfolio of proprietary brands and private-label services. The core brands include Akina Teas (flagship premium African blends celebrating African women) and Thurson Teas (heritage brand honoring family legacy). The company provides end-to-end tea solutions including tea sourcing, expert blending, custom packaging (teabags, loose-leaf, tins), and global exports. Specialty offerings include Kenyan Orthodox teas in various grades (FBOPF SP1, Pekoe, OP1, FOP, OPA) and rare Purple Tea. Empire Kenya also offers private-label services for partners seeking custom branded tea products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Akina Teas: Premium African Tea brand celebrating Africa's rich tea heritage, crafted to bring balance, warmth, and well-being. Tribute to African women, offering blends from bold and invigorating to soft and soothing with uncompromising quality. Tagline: With Love from Africa.
• Thurson Teas

Products and services

• Akina Teas Flagship premium African tea brand celebrating African women, offering luxurious blends crafted to bring balance, warmth, and well-being into everyday life. Tagline: With Love from Africa.
• Thurson Teas Legacy tea brand rooted in tradition and tribute to Thurson de Silva, a legendary Sri Lankan tea planter, offering purity, elegance, and soul in every cup.
• Private Label Services Custom teas and packaging solutions tailored to client brand specifications, from concept to container, including tea sourcing, packaging design, production, and shipment services for brand owners and retailers.
• African Origin Teas Specialty teas expertly sourced from top African plantations, including Kenyan Orthodox teas and Purple Tea, sourced from weekly tea auctions and trusted relationships with tea gardens across Africa.
• Purple Tea Rare Kenyan specialty tea grown exclusively at 4,500-7,500 feet altitude, containing more antioxidants than green or black tea due to high anthocyanin content.
• Kenyan Orthodox Tea Handpicked, expertly rolled, and meticulously graded orthodox teas including FBOPF SP1, PEKOE, OP1, FBOPF SP, FOP, FBOPF, and OPA grades.
• CTC Tea Crush, Tear, Curl processed tea ensuring consistent quality and rich flavour profiles that make Kenyan tea world-renowned.

Quantifiable outcome

• Exported over 7 million kilograms of tea from Kenya since founding in 2017
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tea Board of KenyacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2026Mr. Willy Mutai, Managing Director of the Tea Board of Kenya, visited Empire Kenya's booth at Gulfood Exhibition. He commended their efforts in giving Kenyan Tea a strong global identity and for actively promoting it as a single-origin beverage to the world through their flagship brand Akina.
• Kenya Ministry of Investments, Trade and IndustrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 December 2025Hon. Lee Kinyanjui, Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry of Kenya, met with Empire Kenya to discuss AKINA Tea's global vision and strengthening Kenyan tea exports worldwide. He acknowledged the good work being done in promoting Kenyan tea internationally.
• Browns Plantations East AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 November 2025The Management team of Browns Plantations East Africa paid a courtesy visit to Empire Kenya EPZ to strengthen collaboration, explore mutual growth opportunities, and promote sustainability and value addition in the East African tea industry. Both teams engaged in productive discussions aimed at enhancing regional partnerships and promoting excellence in Kenyan and East African tea.
• Kenya Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2025Hon. Mutahi Kagwe, Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, visited the AKINA Tea booth and commended Empire Kenya for adding value to Kenyan tea. He was highly impressed with their exclusive range.
• Karatina UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Empire Kenya participated in the Speciality Tea Quarterly Forum held at Karatina University, sharing knowledge in Speciality Tea Manufacture, Product Quality and Marketing.
• Empire Group (Parent Company)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmpire Kenya is part of the globally respected Empire Group, sharing the same passion and purpose that drive the parent company Empire Teas Sri Lanka. The Group has total exports exceeding 22 million kilograms worldwide.
• Various African Tea PlantationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrong, trusted relationships with tea plantations across Africa, giving access to some of the finest specialty teas grown in Africa's most celebrated gardens. Teas are sourced from the best African Tea gardens and purchased from weekly tea auctions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Williamson Tea Kenya: Long-established Kenyan tea grower and exporter producing CTC and specialty teas for global markets. Comparable as a Kenyan-origin tea exporter with multi-grade portfolio and export-driven revenue model.
• Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA): The largest smallholder tea producer organization in Kenya managing 70+ factories and significant auction/export volume. Comparable as the dominant Kenyan tea supply chain counterpart that competes for international buyer relationships.
• James Finlay Kenya: One of the largest B2B tea exporters in Kenya operating CTC processing, sourcing from Kenyan auctions, and shipping bulk and value-added teas globally. Directly comparable as a vertically integrated Kenyan tea exporter serving international private-label and bulk customers.

Broad incumbents

• Associated British Foods (Twinings): Owner of Twinings and other tea brands with global multi-origin sourcing including Africa. Comparable as a premium tea brand owner competing for single-origin supply and private-label manufacturing capacity.
• Ahmad Tea: UK-headquartered global tea company with significant African-origin sourcing and broad international distribution. Comparable as a multi-origin tea brand competing in similar export markets and channels.
• Dilmah: Sri Lankan-founded vertically integrated single-origin tea company with global branded distribution, similar heritage to Empire Kenya's parent. Comparable as a founder-led single-origin tea exporter building premium brands on source-country provenance.
• Unilever (Brooke Bond / Lipton): Multinational CPG major with extensive Kenyan tea sourcing and global branded tea portfolio. Comparable as a large-scale global tea buyer and competitor in branded and private-label segments.
• Tata Consumer Products (Tetley): Global branded tea major with significant Kenyan sourcing and broad retail distribution. Comparable as a large buyer/exporter in the Kenyan tea supply chain and competitor for private-label and branded shelf space.

Emerging players

• Vahdam Teas: Premium origin-direct tea brand with digital-first distribution model. Comparable as an emerging single-origin-focused brand pursuing premium positioning, though currently centered on Indian rather than African origins.

Regional players

• Browns Plantations East Africa: East African tea plantation group recently engaged in collaboration talks with Empire Kenya. Comparable as a regional African tea grower/exporter operating in adjacent value chain segment of the same geographic market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/empirekenyatea
• Instagraminstagram.com/empirekenya
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empireteaskenya

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Empire Teas Kenya