Elgon

Elgon is a tea estate located in the Saboti region of Kenya, positioned at 1,891 metres above sea level. The estate is operated by Elgon and is known to supply the British supermarket chain Morrisons. It produces black tea.

Terroir & Climate

At 1,891 metres, Elgon sits within the mid-to-high elevation range typical of Kenyan tea cultivation. Estates at this altitude generally experience moderate temperatures and well-distributed rainfall, conditions that tend to slow leaf growth and allow gradual accumulation of flavour compounds. The Saboti region lies in the western highlands of Kenya, close to the Ugandan border and near Mount Elgon, where volcanic soils are common.

This elevation and latitude combination—just shy of one degree north of the equator—typically supports year-round vegetative growth with minimal dormancy. Cooler nights at altitude often encourage more complex biochemistry in the leaf, while the equatorial light regime tends to produce consistent yields across the calendar. Estates in this zone generally benefit from reliable rainfall patterns shaped by the prevailing Indian Ocean monsoon systems.

Tea Produced

Elgon produces black tea, the dominant style across Kenya's commercial estates. Teas from mid-elevation Kenyan estates typically yield bright, coppery liquors with brisk astringency and a clean, malty character. The altitude and equatorial climate tend to favour teas that perform well in blends, offering body and colour. Saboti-grown teas are generally less well-documented in the literature than those from Kericho or Nandi, but estates at comparable elevations in western Kenya often produce cups with moderate complexity and good structure, suited to both the retail blend market and own-label programmes.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Elgon is recorded as a supplier to Morrisons, one of the United Kingdom's major supermarket chains. This relationship places the estate within the own-label retail supply chain, where volumes, consistency, and traceability are key commercial requirements. Supplying a large British retailer indicates that Elgon meets the compliance and quality benchmarks expected by UK buyers, and suggests that at least a portion of its output is destined for consumer-facing branded or own-brand tea products in the British market.

• Recorded supplier to  Morrisons

Operator

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

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Elgon lies at 0.9417, 34.8431 in Saboti, Kenya. Its 1891 m elevation is the 123rd highest of 186 estates we map in Kenya. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Emrok — 20 km away · Kitale
• NANDI ROYAL — 20 km away · Rift Valley Province
• Kapsara Tea Factory — 32 km away · Sibanga
• Sisibo Tea Factory — 72 km away · P.O. Box 249
• KIPSINENDE — 80 km away · Iten

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Elgon

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Elgon (1,891 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Elgon recorded 1,165 mm in 2025, 44% less than the 2,078 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
ITUMBE	Kisii, Kenya	1,890 m	1,370 mm	24.2 °C
Pedro estate	Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka	1,892 m	2,796 mm	19.4 °C
Kapsara Tea Factory	Sibanga, Kenya	1,889 m	1,521 mm	23.8 °C
Agalawatte Plantations, Weddemulla	Central Province, Sri Lanka	1,888 m	2,522 mm	19.7 °C
Himalayan Tea Producers Cooperative Ltd.	LN Road 32, Nepal	1,895 m	2,180 mm	18.5 °C

Elgon Compared with Kenya

In Kenya, Elgon is drier than 71% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 66% of the others by elevation; warmer than 69% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Elgon against the 185 other estates we map in Kenya, so you can see whether it is typical for its country or an outlier.

Measure	Elgon	Country median	Country range
Elevation	1,891 m	1,990 m	821 to 2,790 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	1,165 mm	1,518 mm	754 to 2,070 mm
Mean daily high	24.0 °C	22.4 °C	16.8 to 30.2 °C
Mean overnight low	13.0 °C	12.0 °C	8.5 to 19.8 °C

Observed Climate at Elgon (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Elgon’s coordinates recorded 1,165 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was October (183 mm) and the driest was February (1 mm). Daytime highs averaged 24.0 °C and overnight lows 13.0 °C over the year; February was the warmest month and July the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	1,165 mm
Wettest month	October (183 mm)
Driest month	February (1 mm)
Mean daily high	24.0 °C
Mean overnight low	13.0 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Elgon located?

Elgon is in Saboti, Kenya, at coordinates 0.9417, 34.8431, at an elevation of about 1891 metres.

Who operates Elgon?

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

What type of tea does Elgon produce?

Elgon is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Elgon supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Elgon as supplying Morrisons.

How much rain does Elgon receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 1,165 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in October (183 mm).

How does Elgon compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Elgon recorded 1,165 mm in 2025, 44% less rain than the 2,078 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].