KIBWELE

Kibwele is a tea estate located in the Iringa region of Tanzania, at an elevation of 1,963 metres above sea level. It is operated by Unilever Tea Tanzania, a subsidiary of the multinational consumer goods company. The estate produces both black and green tea and is recorded as supplying Morrisons, the British supermarket chain.

Terroir & Climate

At 1,963 metres, Kibwele occupies a high-altitude growing environment typical of select sites in Tanzania's Southern Highlands. Estates at this elevation generally experience cooler temperatures and greater diurnal variation than lowland plantations, conditions that tend to slow leaf development and can contribute to a denser, more complex biochemical profile in the plucked material. The latitude—roughly 8.6° south of the equator—places Kibwele in a zone where day length varies little through the year, and seasonal rainfall patterns typically shape the flush calendar more than photoperiod.

The Iringa region's climate is broadly characterised by a bimodal rainfall distribution, with principal wet seasons often supporting steady vegetative growth and multiple plucking rounds. The combination of altitude, latitude and regional precipitation tends to favour slow, even growth, which many producers prize for both black and green tea manufacture. Drainage, aspect and local microclimate vary considerably even within single estates, so terroir at Kibwele will reflect not only these broad regional traits but also site-specific factors not captured in aggregate data.

Tea Produced

Kibwele produces both black and green tea. Black teas from estates at this altitude in the Iringa region often yield a bright, brisk cup with moderate body and a clean finish; the cooler growing conditions can support good aroma retention and a balance between astringency and sweetness. Green teas from high-altitude Tanzanian sites tend toward a lighter, more delicate character, sometimes with vegetal or grassy notes, though processing choices—steaming or pan-firing, withering duration, rolling intensity—exert as much influence on the final profile as raw-leaf origin. Without detailed production records, any characterisation remains indicative of regional tendency rather than estate-specific outcome.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Kibwele is recorded as supplying Morrisons, one of the United Kingdom's largest supermarket chains. This relationship places the estate within a major retail supply chain, suggesting that at least a portion of its output meets the quality, traceability and volume requirements of a mainstream UK multiple. Morrisons' own-label tea ranges typically source from a diversified base of estates and blending centres, so the presence of Kibwele in the chain indicates integration into a professionally managed procurement system, though it does not imply exclusivity or reveal the proportion of the estate's total production involved.

• Recorded supplier to  Morrisons

Operator

Kibwele is operated by Unilever Tea Tanzania, part of the Unilever group's tea estates and plantations division. Unilever Tea Tanzania manages three other estates represented in this directory, giving it a notable footprint in the Tanzanian tea sector. As a vertically integrated operator supplying both bulk commodity markets and branded finished products, Unilever typically maintains estate-level production protocols, quality assurance and traceability systems aligned with the requirements of major international buyers and its own downstream manufacturing facilities.

Location & Neighbouring Estates

KIBWELE lies at -8.5909, 35.2928 in Iringa, Tanzania United Republic Of. Its 1963 m elevation is the joint 1st highest of 6 estates we map in Iringa. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• KILIMA — under 1 km away
• LUGODA — under 1 km away
• Itona Tea Estate — 22 km away · Itona- Mufindi
• Dl Teas Tanzania, Kibena Tea Factory- Njombe — 66 km away · Ninga
• Dl Teas Tanzania, Kibena Tea Factory — 66 km away · Ninga

Estates at a Similar Altitude to KIBWELE

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match KIBWELE (1,963 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. KIBWELE recorded 1,215 mm in 2025, 30% less than the 1,747 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
Shagasha Tea Factory	Gisuma, Rwanda	1,964 m	1,875 mm	21.2 °C
Concordia Tea Estate	Kandapola, Sri Lanka	1,962 m	2,796 mm	18.9 °C
Glendale Estate	Coonoor, India	1,961 m	1,459 mm	19.7 °C
GATUNGURU	Mathioya, Kenya	1,961 m	1,518 mm	20.9 °C
Kymulot Factory	Bomet - Tenwek - Silibwet Rd, Kenya	1,967 m	1,088 mm	23.3 °C

KIBWELE Compared with Iringa

In Iringa, KIBWELE is wetter than 60% of the others by 2025 rainfall; higher than 60% of the others by elevation; the coolest of the 6 estates by daytime temperature. The table sets KIBWELE against the 5 other estates we map in Iringa, so you can see whether it is typical for its region or an outlier.

Measure	KIBWELE	Region median	Region range
Elevation	1,963 m	1,618 m	1,560 to 1,963 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	1,215 mm	628 mm	628 to 1,215 mm
Mean daily high	19.4 °C	25.4 °C	19.4 to 25.4 °C
Mean overnight low	11.6 °C	14.7 °C	11.6 to 14.8 °C

Observed Climate at KIBWELE (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for KIBWELE’s coordinates recorded 1,215 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was January (210 mm) and the driest was August (3 mm). Daytime highs averaged 19.4 °C and overnight lows 11.6 °C over the year; February was the warmest month and July the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	1,215 mm
Wettest month	January (210 mm)
Driest month	August (3 mm)
Mean daily high	19.4 °C
Mean overnight low	11.6 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is KIBWELE located?

KIBWELE is in Iringa, Tanzania United Republic Of, at coordinates -8.5909, 35.2928, at an elevation of about 1963 metres.

Who operates KIBWELE?

KIBWELE is operated by Unilever Tea Tanzania, according to public supply-chain records.

What type of tea does KIBWELE produce?

KIBWELE is recorded as producing black and green tea.

Which buyers does KIBWELE supply?

Public supplier disclosures record KIBWELE as supplying Morrisons.

How much rain does KIBWELE receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 1,215 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in January (210 mm).

How does KIBWELE compare with estates at a similar elevation?

KIBWELE recorded 1,215 mm in 2025, 30% less rain than the 1,747 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].