In short: Happy Valley is a black tea estate in Darjeeling, West Bengal, India, operated by Darjeeling Organic Tea Estates and recorded as supplying Morrisons.
Happy Valley is a tea estate in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India, situated at an elevation of 2,071 metres. The property is operated by Darjeeling Organic Tea Estates, a company managing multiple estates in the region. Happy Valley is known to supply Morrisons, the British supermarket chain, and produces black tea.
Terroir & Climate
At 2,071 metres above sea level, Happy Valley occupies the upper reaches of Darjeeling's growing belt. Estates at this altitude typically experience pronounced diurnal temperature variation, cooler ambient conditions, and intense solar radiation, factors that tend to slow vegetative growth and concentrate secondary metabolites in the leaf. The latitude of approximately 27° north places the estate in the eastern Himalayan foothills, where the monsoon climate generally delivers a pronounced wet season from June through September and a markedly cooler, drier winter.
Such elevations in Darjeeling tend to support a shorter productive flush cycle than lower-altitude gardens. The first flush, generally harvested from late March through April, often benefits from the slow awakening of dormant bushes after winter, while the second flush—typically May into June—can develop greater body as temperatures rise ahead of the monsoon. High-altitude estates in this region often contend with mist, cloud cover, and occasional frost, all of which can influence both yield and the aromatic complexity of the processed leaf.
Tea Produced
Happy Valley produces black tea. Darjeeling blacks from estates at this elevation typically exhibit a lighter body and brisk astringency compared to lower-grown Indian teas, with first-flush productions often showing green, floral, or muscatel notes and second-flush teas tending toward richer, more rounded profiles with stone-fruit or grape-like character. The slow maturation of leaf at altitude generally contributes to aromatic complexity, though cup character varies significantly by harvest timing, clone selection, and processing technique. Buyers seeking classic high-grown Darjeeling character often look to estates in this elevation band.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Happy Valley is recorded as a supplier to Morrisons, one of the United Kingdom's largest supermarket chains. This relationship places the estate within the retail supply chain for branded or own-label Darjeeling tea reaching a mass-market consumer base in Britain. Morrisons' sourcing from named Darjeeling estates reflects ongoing retailer interest in origin transparency and regional provenance, particularly for high-value designations such as Darjeeling, which benefit from protected geographical indication status in key export markets.
- Recorded supplier to Morrisons
Operator
The estate is operated by Darjeeling Organic Tea Estates, a company managing a portfolio of gardens in the Darjeeling region. Darjeeling Organic Tea Estates operates six other estates recorded in this directory, indicating a significant regional footprint and the operational scale to serve export buyers and manage certification, compliance, and quality assurance across multiple properties. Multi-estate operators in Darjeeling often centralise processing, logistics, and marketing functions to meet the stringent traceability and documentation requirements of international tea buyers.
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Happy valley lies at 27.0494, 88.2627 in West Bengal, India. Its 2071 m elevation is the highest of 24 estates we map in West Bengal. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- Potong Tea Garden — under 1 km away · Darjeeling
- Barnesbeg Tea Estate — under 1 km away · Darjeeling
- Mondakotee — under 1 km away · Darjeeling
- Mullotar — under 1 km away · Darjeeling
- Bannockburn Tea Estate — 1.9 km away
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Happy valley
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Happy valley (2,071 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Happy valley recorded 2,294 mm in 2025, 62% more than the 1,416 mm average across these estates: at the same height, local weather and exposure matter as much as elevation.
| Estate | Where | Elevation | Rain 2025 | Mean high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maramba Tea Factory Ltd | Limuru, Kenya | 2,072 m | 894 mm | 21.7 °C |
| Tombe Tea Factory | Nairobi, Kenya | 2,076 m | 1,451 mm | 22.3 °C |
| Welbeck Tea Estate | Tamil Nadu, India | 2,077 m | 1,583 mm | 18.8 °C |
| DUNSANDLE ESTATE | TAMIL NADU, India | 2,054 m | 1,941 mm | 20.5 °C |
| Sorwathe S.A.R.L. | Kinihira Sector, Rwanda | 2,026 m | 1,213 mm | 22.0 °C |
Happy valley Compared with West Bengal
In West Bengal, Happy valley is drier than 91% of the others by 2025 rainfall; the highest of the 24 estates by elevation; the coolest of the 24 estates by daytime temperature. The table sets Happy valley against the 23 other estates we map in West Bengal, so you can see whether it is typical for its region or an outlier.
| Measure | Happy valley | Region median | Region range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 2,071 m | 1,324 m | 10 to 2,016 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 2,294 mm | 2,552 mm | 1,859 to 2,870 mm |
| Mean daily high | 17.1 °C | 21.0 °C | 17.7 to 31.3 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 9.5 °C | 14.0 °C | 10.1 to 22.7 °C |
Observed Climate at Happy valley (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Happy valley’s coordinates recorded 2,294 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was August (644 mm) and the driest was December (10 mm). Daytime highs averaged 17.1 °C and overnight lows 9.5 °C over the year; July was the warmest month and February the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 2,294 mm |
| Wettest month | August (644 mm) |
| Driest month | December (10 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 17.1 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 9.5 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Happy valley located?
Happy valley is in West Bengal, India, at coordinates 27.0494, 88.2627, at an elevation of about 2071 metres.
Who operates Happy valley?
Happy valley is operated by Darjeeling Organic Tea Estates, according to public supply-chain records.
What type of tea does Happy valley produce?
Happy valley is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Happy valley supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Happy valley as supplying Morrisons.
How much rain does Happy valley receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 2,294 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in August (644 mm).
How does Happy valley compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Happy valley recorded 2,294 mm in 2025, 62% more rain than the 1,416 mm average of estates at a similar elevation.
Data sources: public supply-chain disclosures (Ethical Tea Partnership member lists, Rainforest Alliance certificate holders and retailer supplier disclosures); climate figures are ERA5 reanalysis modelled for the estate’s coordinates via Open-Meteo (calendar year 2025); coordinates and elevations from geocoded records. Spotted an error? Email [email protected].
