NJERU

NJERU is a tea estate located in the Meru region of Kenya, operated by NJERU INDUSTRIES. Situated at an altitude of 1,354 metres and positioned just south of the equator, the estate produces black tea and is known to supply both Finlays and Morrisons.

Terroir & Climate

At 1,354 metres above sea level and within half a degree of the equator, NJERU occupies a mid-elevation band where many Kenyan tea estates experience relatively consistent temperatures year-round. Estates at this latitude and altitude typically benefit from two rainy seasons, which can support near-continuous harvesting, though the interplay of elevation and equatorial proximity tends to moderate the diurnal temperature range that drives certain flavour compounds in the leaf.

The Meru region's volcanic soils generally offer good drainage and nutrient availability, characteristics often associated with productive tea cultivation in Kenya's Eastern Highlands. Estates at this elevation in Kenya typically experience warm days and cooler nights compared to lower-lying zones, conditions that can encourage steady vegetative growth while maintaining reasonable biochemical intensity in the plucked leaf.

Tea Produced

NJERU produces black tea, the dominant style in Kenya's export market. Teas from mid-elevation equatorial estates in the Meru region typically yield brisk, bright liquors with good colour and a clean, straightforward character suited to blending. Kenyan black teas at this altitude often exhibit the coppery infusion and assertive astringency that have made the country's output a staple for breakfast blends and packaged retail tea in European and Middle Eastern markets.

Supply Chain & Market Position

NJERU is recorded as supplying Finlays, one of the largest tea and coffee businesses globally with extensive blending and packing operations, and Morrisons, a major British supermarket chain. The presence of both a multinational trading house and a leading UK retailer among its buyers suggests the estate's output meets the quality and volume benchmarks required for mainstream retail and blended products. This dual supply relationship reflects a common pattern in Kenya's tea sector, where estates feed both the auction system and direct contracts that underpin own-label and branded retail tea across European markets.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays
• Recorded supplier to  Morrisons

Operator

The estate is operated by NJERU INDUSTRIES. No other estates operated by this company are currently recorded in our directory.

Location & Neighbouring Estates

NJERU lies at -0.5425, 37.4423 in Box 241 - Meru, Kenya. Its 1354 m elevation is the 180th highest of 186 estates we map in Kenya. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Thumaita — 12 km away · Kenya
• Kathangariri Tea Estate — 15 km away · Mugurumari - Kathangariri Rd
• Mungania Tea Factory — 17 km away · D467
• KENYA TEA DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (KTDA) - Mungania — 18 km away · PO BOX 927
• Kimunye Tea Factory — 19 km away · Kimunye

Estates at a Similar Altitude to NJERU

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match NJERU (1,354 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. NJERU recorded 1,229 mm in 2025, 61% less than the 3,121 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
Adams View	Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka	1,355 m	4,839 mm	21.5 °C
Panniar Tea Estate	Idukki, India	1,351 m	2,349 mm	22.7 °C
Hatton Plantations, Waltrim	Central Province, Sri Lanka	1,357 m	3,681 mm	22.7 °C
Mcleod Russel Uganda Limited(Mrul), Ankole Tea Factory, Kalinzu Garden	Fort Portal, Uganda	1,357 m	943 mm	27.4 °C
Vagavurrai	Kerala, India	1,369 m	3,791 mm	22.7 °C

NJERU Compared with Kenya

In Kenya, NJERU is drier than 66% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 97% of the others by elevation; warmer than 84% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets NJERU against the 185 other estates we map in Kenya, so you can see whether it is typical for its country or an outlier.

Measure	NJERU	Country median	Country range
Elevation	1,354 m	1,990 m	821 to 2,790 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	1,229 mm	1,518 mm	754 to 2,070 mm
Mean daily high	24.9 °C	22.4 °C	16.8 to 30.2 °C
Mean overnight low	15.5 °C	12.0 °C	8.5 to 19.8 °C

Observed Climate at NJERU (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for NJERU’s coordinates recorded 1,229 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was May (162 mm) and the driest was February (9 mm). Daytime highs averaged 24.9 °C and overnight lows 15.5 °C over the year; March was the warmest month and August the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	1,229 mm
Wettest month	May (162 mm)
Driest month	February (9 mm)
Mean daily high	24.9 °C
Mean overnight low	15.5 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is NJERU located?

NJERU is in Box 241 - Meru, Kenya, at coordinates -0.5425, 37.4423, at an elevation of about 1354 metres.

Who operates NJERU?

NJERU is operated by NJERU INDUSTRIES, according to public supply-chain records.

What type of tea does NJERU produce?

NJERU is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does NJERU supply?

Public supplier disclosures record NJERU as supplying Finlays, Morrisons.

How much rain does NJERU receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 1,229 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in May (162 mm).

How does NJERU compare with estates at a similar elevation?

NJERU recorded 1,229 mm in 2025, 61% less rain than the 3,121 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].