IKUMBI

Ikumbi is a tea estate located in the Thika district of Kenya, operating at an elevation of 1,500 metres. The estate is managed by the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), the umbrella organisation representing smallholder tea farmers across Kenya. Ikumbi is known to supply Morrisons, the British supermarket chain.

Terroir & Climate

At 1,500 metres above sea level and positioned near the equator, Ikumbi sits within a mid-altitude band that typically experiences moderate temperatures and well-distributed rainfall throughout much of the year. Estates at this elevation in central Kenya generally benefit from the bimodal rainfall pattern characteristic of the region, with long rains from March to May and short rains from October to December. These conditions tend to support steady vegetative growth, allowing for extended plucking seasons.

The Thika district lies within Kenya's central highlands, where volcanic soils are common and daytime warmth is usually moderated by altitude. Mid-elevation estates such as this often see a balance between vigorous bush growth and sufficient stress to concentrate flavour compounds in the leaf. Cooler nights typical of this altitude generally slow respiration, which can favour the accumulation of polyphenols and contribute to the briskness for which Kenyan teas are widely recognised.

Tea Produced

Ikumbi produces black tea, the dominant category in Kenya's export-focused industry. Estates in the Thika area at comparable elevations typically yield teas with the bright, coppery liquor and brisk, full-bodied character that define mainstream Kenyan black tea. These teas are generally well suited to blending, contributing colour, strength and astringency to breakfast-style blends. While specific cup profiles vary with factory processing and seasonal conditions, mid-altitude Kenyan blacks tend to display malty or slightly grassy notes with a clean, assertive finish.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Ikumbi is recorded as a supplier to Morrisons, one of the United Kingdom's major supermarket groups. This relationship places the estate within the supply chain for retail own-label tea, a significant segment of the British market. Supply to a major multiple indicates that Ikumbi's output meets the volume, consistency and traceability requirements increasingly demanded by large retailers, particularly as consumer interest in supply-chain transparency has grown in recent years.

• Recorded supplier to  Morrisons

Operator

The estate is operated by the Kenya Tea Development Agency, a farmer-owned organisation that manages tea factories and coordinates smallholder production across much of Kenya's tea-growing regions. KTDA operates a network of factories serving thousands of small-scale growers, and Ikumbi is one of seven estates in our directory linked to the agency. This model, in which farmers deliver green leaf to centrally managed factories, has been instrumental in establishing Kenya as one of the world's leading black tea exporters.

Location & Neighbouring Estates

IKUMBI lies at -1.0388, 37.0834 in THIKA, Kenya. Its 1500 m elevation is the joint 174th highest of 186 estates we map in Kenya. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• NDUTI — under 1 km away
• NJUNU — under 1 km away
• Ngorongo Tea Factory Ltd — 32 km away · Kenya
• GACHEGE — 34 km away · Kenya
• Ikumbi Tea Factory — 34 km away · Kaharati-kangari Rd

Estates at a Similar Altitude to IKUMBI

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match IKUMBI (1,500 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. IKUMBI recorded 956 mm in 2025, 52% less than the 1,973 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
Guderale	Kerala, India	1,501 m	3,791 mm	21.6 °C
Thumaita	Kenya, Kenya	1,499 m	1,274 mm	24.0 °C
Pita Ratmalie Tea Factory	B147, Sri Lanka	1,498 m	2,188 mm	22.5 °C
Mabale Growers Tea Factory Ltd	Fort Portal, Uganda	1,498 m	1,236 mm	25.6 °C
Kijura Tea Company	Western, Uganda	1,502 m	1,376 mm	25.8 °C

IKUMBI Compared with Kenya

In Kenya, IKUMBI is drier than 88% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 95% of the others by elevation; warmer than 84% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets IKUMBI against the 185 other estates we map in Kenya, so you can see whether it is typical for its country or an outlier.

Measure	IKUMBI	Country median	Country range
Elevation	1,500 m	1,990 m	821 to 2,790 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	956 mm	1,518 mm	754 to 2,070 mm
Mean daily high	25.1 °C	22.4 °C	16.8 to 30.2 °C
Mean overnight low	14.6 °C	12.0 °C	8.5 to 19.8 °C

Observed Climate at IKUMBI (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for IKUMBI’s coordinates recorded 956 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was April (170 mm) and the driest was February (8 mm). Daytime highs averaged 25.1 °C and overnight lows 14.6 °C over the year; March was the warmest month and August the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	956 mm
Wettest month	April (170 mm)
Driest month	February (8 mm)
Mean daily high	25.1 °C
Mean overnight low	14.6 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is IKUMBI located?

IKUMBI is in THIKA, Kenya, at coordinates -1.0388, 37.0834, at an elevation of about 1500 metres.

Who operates IKUMBI?

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

What type of tea does IKUMBI produce?

IKUMBI is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does IKUMBI supply?

Public supplier disclosures record IKUMBI as supplying Morrisons.

How much rain does IKUMBI receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 956 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in April (170 mm).

How does IKUMBI compare with estates at a similar elevation?

IKUMBI recorded 956 mm in 2025, 52% less rain than the 1,973 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].