Sisibo Tea Factory

Sisibo Tea Factory is a Kenyan tea estate and processing facility located in the Rift Valley province at an elevation of 2,790 metres above sea level. The operation is managed by Sisibo Tea Factory, a company that also operates at least one other tea estate recorded in industry directories. The factory is known to supply Finlays, a prominent buyer and distributor in the global tea supply chain.

Terroir & Climate

At 2,790 metres, Sisibo sits within Kenya's highest band of commercial tea cultivation, where equatorial latitude combines with extreme elevation to create distinctive growing conditions. Estates at this altitude typically experience significant diurnal temperature variation, with cool nights slowing vegetative growth and often encouraging the accumulation of flavour compounds in the leaf. The elevation also tends to bring frequent cloud cover and mist, moderating direct solar radiation whilst maintaining year-round humidity.

This altitude in the Kenyan Rift Valley generally supports a slower, more sustained flush cycle than lower-elevation gardens, with reduced pest pressure and a climate that can allow for picking throughout much of the year. The volcanic soils common to the region tend to offer good drainage and mineral availability, although specific soil management practices vary by estate. Such high-altitude environments often yield leaf with pronounced brightness and briskness in the cup, though individual factory processing choices ultimately determine the final profile.

Tea Produced

Sisibo produces black tea, the category that dominates Kenyan output and export. High-altitude Kenyan blacks typically exhibit a bright, coppery liquor and a brisk, clean astringency that makes them popular for blending—particularly in breakfast-style and everyday retail blends in Europe and the Middle East. Teas from estates at this elevation often show good body and a lively, sometimes citric top note, though cup character depends heavily on plucking standards, withering times, and the degree of oxidation and drying applied at the factory. Kenyan CTC production—common across the country—tends to deliver strong, quick-brewing liquor suited to milk-based service, though orthodox manufacture at some factories can yield more complex, layered profiles.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Sisibo Tea Factory is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated tea and horticulture business with extensive sourcing, blending, and packing operations serving retail and foodservice customers worldwide. Supply relationships with a buyer of Finlays' scale typically indicate that an estate meets baseline quality assurance and traceability standards expected by multinational brands and supermarket own-label programmes. This connection suggests that Sisibo's output enters commodity and branded black-tea supply chains that prioritise consistency, food safety, and audit readiness, though the exact volumes and contractual terms are not disclosed.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Operator

Sisibo Tea Factory is operated by a company of the same name, which also manages at least one other tea estate listed in industry records. Multi-estate operators often benefit from economies of scale in procurement, agronomic advice, and marketing, and may coordinate quality standards and certification efforts across their holdings. The presence of sibling estates can also facilitate knowledge transfer and investment in shared infrastructure, although the structure and governance of smaller operating groups in Kenya vary widely.

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Sisibo Tea Factory lies at 1.0498, 35.4782 in P.O. Box 249, Kenya. Its 2790 m elevation is the highest of 186 estates we map in Kenya. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Kapsara Tea Factory — 40 km away · Sibanga
• KIPSINENDE — 42 km away · Iten
• Emrok — 53 km away · Kitale
• NANDI ROYAL — 53 km away · Rift Valley Province
• Elgon — 72 km away · Saboti

Sisibo Tea Factory Compared with Kenya

In Kenya, Sisibo Tea Factory is wetter than 57% of the others by 2025 rainfall; the highest of the 186 estates by elevation; the coolest of the 186 estates by daytime temperature. The table sets Sisibo Tea Factory against the 185 other estates we map in Kenya, so you can see whether it is typical for its country or an outlier.

Measure	Sisibo Tea Factory	Country median	Country range
Elevation	2,790 m	1,989 m	821 to 2,437 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	1,600 mm	1,518 mm	754 to 2,070 mm
Mean daily high	16.8 °C	22.4 °C	19.0 to 30.2 °C
Mean overnight low	8.5 °C	12.0 °C	9.7 to 19.8 °C

Observed Climate at Sisibo Tea Factory (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Sisibo Tea Factory’s coordinates recorded 1,600 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was August (301 mm) and the driest was February (3 mm). Daytime highs averaged 16.8 °C and overnight lows 8.5 °C over the year; March was the warmest month and August the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	1,600 mm
Wettest month	August (301 mm)
Driest month	February (3 mm)
Mean daily high	16.8 °C
Mean overnight low	8.5 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Sisibo Tea Factory located?

Sisibo Tea Factory is in P.O. Box 249, Kenya, at coordinates 1.0498, 35.4782, at an elevation of about 2790 metres.

Who operates Sisibo Tea Factory?

Sisibo Tea Factory is operated by Sisibo Tea Factory, according to public supply-chain records.

What type of tea does Sisibo Tea Factory produce?

Sisibo Tea Factory is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Sisibo Tea Factory supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Sisibo Tea Factory as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Sisibo Tea Factory receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 1,600 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in August (301 mm).

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].