NDUTI

Nduti is a tea estate located in the Thika region of Kenya, approximately one degree south of the equator. The estate sits at an altitude of 1,500 metres and is operated by Kenya Tea Development Agency, a significant presence in the Kenyan smallholder tea sector. Nduti is recorded as a supplier to Morrisons, the British supermarket chain.

Terroir & Climate

At 1,500 metres above sea level and positioned just south of the equator, Nduti occupies a mid-altitude zone in Kenya's tea-growing landscape. Estates at this elevation typically experience moderate temperatures with relatively stable conditions year-round, a function of the equatorial latitude. This altitude generally allows for steady vegetative growth without the extreme cool-climate stress found at higher elevations, while still benefiting from the diurnal temperature variation that tends to encourage flavour development in the leaf.

Thika lies within the central highlands tea belt, where volcanic soils are common and rainfall patterns generally support two main flush periods aligned with the long and short rains. Mid-altitude estates in this region often maintain a consistent cropping cycle, with the combination of latitude, elevation and soil type tending to favour robust leaf growth and the enzymatic activity that underpins black tea manufacture.

Tea Produced

Nduti produces black tea, the dominant style manufactured in Kenya's smallholder sector. Teas from the Thika region at this elevation typically yield a brisk, full-bodied cup with the bright, coppery colour and clean astringency characteristic of Kenyan black teas. Mid-altitude estates in central Kenya generally produce leaf suited to CTC processing, which tends to deliver the strength and colour prized in blended breakfast teas and the packet tea trade.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Nduti is recorded as supplying Morrisons, one of the United Kingdom's major supermarket chains. This relationship places the estate within the direct supply networks that link Kenyan smallholder production to British retail shelves, a route that typically requires compliance with retailer-specific sourcing standards and traceability protocols. Supply to a large UK grocer generally indicates an estate's integration into audited, volume-oriented procurement channels that prioritise consistency and food-safety assurance alongside price competitiveness.

• Recorded supplier to  Morrisons

Operator

Nduti is operated by Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), the umbrella organisation that manages tea factories and marketing on behalf of smallholder farmers across Kenya. KTDA oversees production at numerous estates and factory units throughout the country's tea zones; this directory records six other estates under KTDA operation, reflecting the agency's wide geographic footprint and its central role in aggregating and processing leaf from small-scale growers.

Location & Neighbouring Estates

NDUTI 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:

• IKUMBI — 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 NDUTI

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match NDUTI (1,500 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. NDUTI 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

NDUTI Compared with Kenya

In Kenya, NDUTI 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 NDUTI against the 185 other estates we map in Kenya, so you can see whether it is typical for its country or an outlier.

Measure	NDUTI	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 NDUTI (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for NDUTI’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 NDUTI located?

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

Who operates NDUTI?

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

What type of tea does NDUTI produce?

NDUTI is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does NDUTI supply?

Public supplier disclosures record NDUTI as supplying Morrisons.

How much rain does NDUTI receive?

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

How does NDUTI compare with estates at a similar elevation?

NDUTI 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].