GIANCHORE

Gianchore is a black tea estate situated on Moi Avenue in Kenya, at an elevation of 1,670 metres. The estate is operated by the Kenya Tea Development Agency, the country's largest manager of smallholder tea production. No major downstream buyers have been recorded in available supply-chain data.

Terroir & Climate

At 1,670 metres, Gianchore occupies a mid-elevation niche in Kenya's tea-growing landscape. Estates at this altitude typically experience moderate diurnal temperature variation and consistent moisture levels, factors that tend to support steady vegetative growth throughout much of the year. The latitude, just south of the equator, generally means two distinct rainy seasons that frame the growing calendar, though local microclimates can introduce significant variation.

Mid-altitude Kenyan gardens often benefit from well-drained volcanic soils, which tend to favour root health and nutrient uptake. The cooler nights characteristic of this elevation band can slow leaf maturation slightly compared to lowland estates, a trait that often correlates with improved biochemical complexity in the processed leaf. Rainfall distribution and sunshine hours remain the principal variables shaping flush intensity and plucking intervals across the calendar.

Tea Produced

Gianchore produces black tea. Kenyan black teas from estates in this elevation range typically yield a brisk, coppery liquor with pronounced astringency and good colour. The cup profile tends to be clean and direct, often exhibiting the characteristic brightness that has made Kenyan leaf a backbone of many regional and international blends. Mid-altitude gardens generally produce teas that balance body with a lively, slightly floral edge, though cup character will vary with plucking standard, processing technique, and seasonal conditions.

Operator

The Kenya Tea Development Agency operates Gianchore and manages six other estates recorded in our directory. KTDA is a co-operative umbrella organisation overseeing the production, processing, and marketing of tea on behalf of more than half a million smallholder farmers across Kenya. The agency operates dozens of factories countrywide, coordinating leaf intake, manufacture, and auction sales, and plays a central role in the country's position as one of the world's leading black tea exporters.

Location & Neighbouring Estates

GIANCHORE lies at -1.2868, 36.8269 in Moi Avenue, Kenya. Its 1670 m elevation is the joint 2nd highest of 12 estates we map in Moi Avenue. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• GITHAMBO — under 1 km away
• GITHONGO — under 1 km away
• KIRU — under 1 km away
• LITEIN — under 1 km away
• MAKOMBOKI — under 1 km away

Estates at a Similar Altitude to GIANCHORE

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match GIANCHORE (1,670 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. GIANCHORE recorded 769 mm in 2025, 64% less than the 2,130 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
KAIMOSI	Kaimosi, Kenya	1,665 m	1,764 mm	24.5 °C
Himalayan Shangri-La	Mechi Hwy, Nepal	1,661 m	2,238 mm	18.2 °C
Njeru Tea Factory	Meru-Nairobi Highway, Kenya	1,657 m	890 mm	22.8 °C
Rancabali Tea Estate	Bandung Regency, Indonesia	1,686 m	2,986 mm	21.5 °C
Chokanad I	Kerala, India	1,691 m	2,773 mm	21.1 °C

GIANCHORE Compared with Moi Avenue

In Moi Avenue, GIANCHORE is the driest of the 12 estates by 2025 rainfall; lower than 91% of the others by elevation; cooler than 82% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets GIANCHORE against the 11 other estates we map in Moi Avenue, so you can see whether it is typical for its region or an outlier.

Measure	GIANCHORE	Region median	Region range
Elevation	1,670 m	1,670 m	1,632 to 1,922 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	769 mm	769 mm	769 to 1,984 mm
Mean daily high	25.5 °C	25.5 °C	21.8 to 25.5 °C
Mean overnight low	14.8 °C	14.8 °C	11.8 to 14.8 °C

Observed Climate at GIANCHORE (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for GIANCHORE’s coordinates recorded 769 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was May (140 mm) and the driest was February (8 mm). Daytime highs averaged 25.5 °C and overnight lows 14.8 °C over the year; February was the warmest month and August the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	769 mm
Wettest month	May (140 mm)
Driest month	February (8 mm)
Mean daily high	25.5 °C
Mean overnight low	14.8 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is GIANCHORE located?

GIANCHORE is in Moi Avenue, Kenya, at coordinates -1.2868, 36.8269, at an elevation of about 1670 metres.

Who operates GIANCHORE?

GIANCHORE is operated by Kenya Tea Development Agency, according to public supply-chain records.

What type of tea does GIANCHORE produce?

GIANCHORE is recorded as producing black tea.

How much rain does GIANCHORE receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 769 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in May (140 mm).

How does GIANCHORE compare with estates at a similar elevation?

GIANCHORE recorded 769 mm in 2025, 64% less rain than the 2,130 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].