In short: Emrok is a black tea estate in the Kitale region of Kenya, operated by Emrok Tea Factory EPZ Limited and known to supply the British supermarket chain Morrisons.
Emrok is a tea estate located in the Kitale region of Kenya, operating at an elevation of 1,893 metres. The estate is operated by Emrok Tea Factory EPZ Limited and is on record as a supplier to Morrisons, the British supermarket group. Kitale lies in the western highlands of Kenya, a zone less internationally prominent than the country's main tea districts but nonetheless part of Kenya's broader position as one of the world's leading black tea exporters.
Terroir & Climate
At 1,893 metres above sea level, Emrok occupies a mid- to high-elevation band that generally favours slower leaf maturation and the accumulation of flavour compounds. Estates at this altitude in Kenya typically experience moderate temperatures with diurnal variation, conditions that tend to promote the development of polyphenols and contribute to structured, brisk liquor. The Kitale region, positioned near the equator at approximately 1° north, benefits from year-round growing conditions, though rainfall patterns and seasonal cloud cover can influence flush cycles.
Kenyan tea-growing zones at comparable elevations often contend with red volcanic soils that are naturally acidic and well-drained, characteristics that typically support vigorous Camellia sinensis var. assamica cultivars. The combination of equatorial latitude, altitude, and soil type tends to yield leaf that is robust, with the potential for bright colour and pronounced astringency in the cup—a profile that has long underpinned Kenya's reputation in the global CTC black tea trade.
Tea Produced
Emrok produces black tea. Kenyan black teas from estates at this elevation typically yield a bright, coppery infusion with brisk, malty character and firm astringency. The CTC manufacturing process, which dominates Kenyan production, tends to produce granular leaf that brews quickly and delivers bold colour and body—qualities prized in blended breakfast teas and in markets where strength and value are paramount. Estates in the Kitale area generally produce teas that fit within this broader Kenyan style, though cup character can vary with processing technique, plucking standard, and the timing of seasonal flushes.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Emrok is recorded as a supplier to Morrisons, one of the United Kingdom's largest supermarket chains. This relationship places the estate within the supply chain of a major retail buyer, a position that typically requires adherence to volume, quality, and traceability standards. Supplying a UK supermarket group suggests that Emrok's output is oriented toward the consumer retail segment, where Kenyan black tea is commonly blended for own-label breakfast and everyday tea products. The presence of a single verified buyer in the record may reflect either a focused supply relationship or limited public disclosure of the estate's full customer base.
- Recorded supplier to Morrisons
Operator
The estate is operated by Emrok Tea Factory EPZ Limited. The designation EPZ (Export Processing Zone) indicates that the company operates under a Kenyan regulatory framework designed to facilitate export-oriented manufacturing, typically offering fiscal incentives in exchange for meeting export thresholds. No other estates operated by this company are currently recorded in our directory.
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Emrok lies at 1.0191, 35.0023 in Kitale, Kenya. Its 1893 m elevation is the joint 121st highest of 186 estates we map in Kenya. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- NANDI ROYAL — under 1 km away · Rift Valley Province
- Kapsara Tea Factory — 13 km away · Sibanga
- Elgon — 20 km away · Saboti
- Sisibo Tea Factory — 53 km away · P.O. Box 249
- KIPSINENDE — 68 km away · Iten
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Emrok
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Emrok (1,893 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Emrok recorded 1,221 mm in 2025, 43% less than the 2,138 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pedro estate | Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka | 1,892 m | 2,796 mm | 19.4 °C |
| Himalayan Tea Producers Cooperative Ltd. | LN Road 32, Nepal | 1,895 m | 2,180 mm | 18.5 °C |
| ITUMBE | Kisii, Kenya | 1,890 m | 1,370 mm | 24.2 °C |
| Cangyuan Rangsai Tea Cooperative | 36 Jian Gong Building Dong Feng Dong Road, China | 1,898 m | 1,823 mm | 20.7 °C |
| Agalawatte Plantations, Weddemulla | Central Province, Sri Lanka | 1,888 m | 2,522 mm | 19.7 °C |
Emrok Compared with Kenya
In Kenya, Emrok is drier than 68% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 65% of the others by elevation; warmer than 78% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Emrok against the 185 other estates we map in Kenya, so you can see whether it is typical for its country or an outlier.
| Measure | Emrok | Country median | Country range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 1,893 m | 1,990 m | 821 to 2,790 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 1,221 mm | 1,518 mm | 754 to 2,070 mm |
| Mean daily high | 24.7 °C | 22.4 °C | 16.8 to 30.2 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 12.0 °C | 12.0 °C | 8.5 to 19.8 °C |
Observed Climate at Emrok (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Emrok’s coordinates recorded 1,221 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was October (205 mm) and the driest was February (0 mm). Daytime highs averaged 24.7 °C and overnight lows 12.0 °C over the year; February was the warmest month and August the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 1,221 mm |
| Wettest month | October (205 mm) |
| Driest month | February (0 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 24.7 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 12.0 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Emrok located?
Emrok is in Kitale, Kenya, at coordinates 1.0191, 35.0023, at an elevation of about 1893 metres.
Who operates Emrok?
Emrok is operated by Emrok Tea Factory EPZ Limited, according to public supply-chain records.
What type of tea does Emrok produce?
Emrok is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Emrok supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Emrok as supplying Morrisons.
How much rain does Emrok receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 1,221 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in October (205 mm).
How does Emrok compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Emrok recorded 1,221 mm in 2025, 43% less rain than the 2,138 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].
