Makandi Tea & Coffee Estates

Makandi Tea & Coffee Estates is a producer located in the Thyolo region of Malawi, operating at an altitude of 906 metres. The estate is operated by Makandi Tea & Coffee Estates and is recorded as supplying Finlays. Both black and green tea are produced on the property.

Terroir & Climate

At 906 metres in Thyolo, estates typically experience the moderate elevations characteristic of Malawi's southern highlands. This altitude generally places tea cultivation in a zone where daytime warmth and night-time cooling can encourage steady vegetative growth without the extreme temperature swings found at higher elevations. Thyolo's latitude, roughly 16° south, tends to deliver a subtropical climate with a distinct wet season; estates in this belt often see active flushing during the rains and slower growth in the drier winter months.

The mid-elevation terroir of this part of Malawi usually supports robust leaf development and relatively high yields. Soils in Thyolo are often derived from weathered basement complex rocks, which can provide good drainage and a mineral base conducive to tea. Estates at similar altitudes in the region typically produce teas with body and colour rather than the more delicate, high-grown character found at elevations well above 1,200 metres.

Tea Produced

As a producer of both black and green tea, Makandi works with leaf grown in conditions that typically favour full-bodied, brisk character. Black teas from Thyolo estates at this elevation often show good colour, malty or toasted notes, and the kind of strength that suits blending for everyday consumption. Green tea production in Malawi is less widespread but tends to draw on the same vigorous leaf; the cup profile is generally more robust than the lighter, more vegetal styles from higher-altitude or more northerly origins.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Makandi Tea & Coffee Estates is recorded as supplying Finlays, a major vertically integrated tea company with blending, packing and distribution operations across several continents. Finlays sources leaf from estates in multiple origins and typically directs that material into both branded retail blends and private-label contracts for supermarkets and foodservice. The relationship suggests that Makandi's output meets the volume, consistency and traceability standards required by a large-scale buyer with exposure to European and North American retail chains.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates lies at -16.0693, 35.1406 in Thyolo, Malawi. Its 906 m elevation is the joint 3rd highest of 7 estates we map in Thyolo. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• CHAWANI — under 1 km away
• MBELUKO — under 1 km away
• Satemwa Tea Estates Limited, Magara (Tii) — under 1 km away
• Satemwa Tea Estates Limited, Satemwa — 3.6 km away
• Namingomba Tea Estates Limited — 6.5 km away

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates (906 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates recorded 1,525 mm in 2025, 35% less than the 2,333 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
Namunukula Plantations, Kinellan	Uva Province, Sri Lanka	907 m	2,206 mm	26.0 °C
Wentworth Tea Estate	Cherambadi, India	903 m	2,378 mm	26.4 °C
Blairlomond Tea Estate	Madulla Road, Sri Lanka	903 m	2,658 mm	26.7 °C
Namring Tea Estate	Darjeeling, India	923 m	3,324 mm	23.4 °C
Roscommon Estate, Wanganella	Chimanimani, Zimbabwe	928 m	1,101 mm	27.0 °C

Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates Compared with Thyolo

In Thyolo, Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates is the driest of the 7 estates by 2025 rainfall; lower than 83% of the others by elevation; the coolest of the 7 estates by daytime temperature. The table sets Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates against the 6 other estates we map in Thyolo, so you can see whether it is typical for its region or an outlier.

Measure	Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates	Region median	Region range
Elevation	906 m	906 m	891 to 1,022 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	1,525 mm	1,525 mm	1,525 to 1,655 mm
Mean daily high	24.1 °C	24.1 °C	24.1 to 24.4 °C
Mean overnight low	16.4 °C	16.4 °C	16.2 to 16.7 °C

Observed Climate at Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates’s coordinates recorded 1,525 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was December (342 mm) and the driest was September (10 mm). Daytime highs averaged 24.1 °C and overnight lows 16.4 °C over the year; January was the warmest month and July the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	1,525 mm
Wettest month	December (342 mm)
Driest month	September (10 mm)
Mean daily high	24.1 °C
Mean overnight low	16.4 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates located?

Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates is in Thyolo, Malawi, at coordinates -16.0693, 35.1406, at an elevation of about 906 metres.

Who operates Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates?

Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates is operated by Makandi Tea & Coffee Estates, according to public supply-chain records.

What type of tea does Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates produce?

Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates is recorded as producing black and green tea.

Which buyers does Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 1,525 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in December (342 mm).

How does Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Makandi Tea \u0026 Coffee Estates recorded 1,525 mm in 2025, 35% less rain than the 2,333 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].