In short: Maramba Tea Factory Ltd is a black tea estate in Limuru, Kenya, operating at 2,072 metres and recorded as supplying Finlays.
Maramba Tea Factory Ltd is a tea estate and processing facility located in Limuru, Kenya, operating at an altitude of 2,072 metres above sea level. The estate is operated by Maramba Tea Factory Ltd and is recorded as supplying the international tea firm Finlays. Limuru lies in the Central Highlands northwest of Nairobi, a region with a long-standing reputation for high-elevation tea production.
Terroir & Climate
At 2,072 metres, Maramba Tea Factory occupies one of the higher elevation bands within Kenya's tea-growing regions. Estates at this altitude typically experience cooler temperatures and greater diurnal variation than those at lower elevations, conditions that tend to slow leaf growth and can contribute to increased biochemical complexity in the plucked material. The Limuru area, positioned just south of the equator, generally receives well-distributed rainfall across much of the year, supporting year-round cultivation cycles common to Kenya's Central Highlands.
High-altitude sites in this region often contend with mist and cloud cover, factors that tend to moderate direct solar radiation and may influence photosynthetic pathways and secondary metabolite accumulation in the leaf. Soils in the Central Highlands are typically volcanic in origin, a characteristic that tends to confer good drainage and a mineral profile conducive to tea cultivation. These environmental factors, taken together, are generally associated with teas of notable body and brightness in estates operating at comparable elevations.
Tea Produced
Maramba Tea Factory produces black tea. Estates in Limuru operating at similar elevations typically yield teas characterised by brisk, clean cup profiles with good colour and body. The high-altitude environment tends to favour the development of teas with pronounced brightness and a degree of astringency that processors and blenders often value for strength and structure. While individual leaf handling and fermentation protocols vary between factories, teas from this elevation band in Kenya's Central Highlands are generally recognised for their suitability in both blending and as single-origin offerings where clarity and vigour are desired.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Maramba Tea Factory is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated tea business with extensive global sourcing, blending, and distribution operations. Finlays operates its own estates and factories across multiple origins and also purchases from independent growers and processors, positioning itself as both a primary producer and a significant intermediary in the supply chain. The presence of Finlays as a recorded buyer suggests that Maramba's output meets the quality and consistency benchmarks required by a multinational operator serving retail brands, foodservice clients, and private-label markets worldwide.
- Recorded supplier to Finlays
Operator
Maramba Tea Factory Ltd operates the estate. No other estates operated by this company are currently recorded in our directory.
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Maramba Tea Factory Ltd lies at -1.1335, 36.7042 in Limuru, Kenya. Its 2072 m elevation is the 31st highest of 186 estates we map in Kenya. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- Karirana Tea Estates Ltd — 5.2 km away · Kiambu
- KAMBAA — 7.3 km away · Githunguri
- KAGWE — 14 km away · Lari
- Ngorongo Tea Factory Ltd — 15 km away · Kenya
- SITOI (Sitoi Factory) — 18 km away · P.O. Box Lantana Rd
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Maramba Tea Factory Ltd
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Maramba Tea Factory Ltd (2,072 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Maramba Tea Factory Ltd recorded 894 mm in 2025, 46% less than the 1,659 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Happy valley | West Bengal, India | 2,071 m | 2,294 mm | 17.1 °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 |
| Gathuthi Tea Factory | Othaya, Kenya | 2,066 m | 1,434 mm | 19.9 °C |
| TEZA | Muramvya, Burundi | 2,118 m | 1,533 mm | 20.1 °C |
Maramba Tea Factory Ltd Compared with Kenya
In Kenya, Maramba Tea Factory Ltd is drier than 90% of the others by 2025 rainfall; higher than 84% of the others by elevation; cooler than 83% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Maramba Tea Factory Ltd against the 185 other estates we map in Kenya, so you can see whether it is typical for its country or an outlier.
| Measure | Maramba Tea Factory Ltd | Country median | Country range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 2,072 m | 1,989 m | 821 to 2,790 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 894 mm | 1,518 mm | 754 to 2,070 mm |
| Mean daily high | 21.7 °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 Maramba Tea Factory Ltd (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Maramba Tea Factory Ltd’s coordinates recorded 894 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was May (126 mm) and the driest was February (9 mm). Daytime highs averaged 21.7 °C and overnight lows 12.0 °C over the year; March was the warmest month and August the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 894 mm |
| Wettest month | May (126 mm) |
| Driest month | February (9 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 21.7 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 12.0 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maramba Tea Factory Ltd located?
Maramba Tea Factory Ltd is in Limuru, Kenya, at coordinates -1.1335, 36.7042, at an elevation of about 2072 metres.
Who operates Maramba Tea Factory Ltd?
Maramba Tea Factory Ltd is operated by Maramba Tea Factory Ltd, according to public supply-chain records.
What type of tea does Maramba Tea Factory Ltd produce?
Maramba Tea Factory Ltd is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Maramba Tea Factory Ltd supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Maramba Tea Factory Ltd as supplying Finlays.
How much rain does Maramba Tea Factory Ltd receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 894 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in May (126 mm).
How does Maramba Tea Factory Ltd compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Maramba Tea Factory Ltd recorded 894 mm in 2025, 46% less rain than the 1,659 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].
