Kenyan speciality tea farmers are set to gain direct access to premium international markets following the signing of a landmark export and promotional agreement between French tea company Palais des Thés, Kenyan tea producer Gatanga Industries Limited and Equity Group Holdings Plc.
The agreement was signed in Nairobi ahead of the ongoing Africa Forward: Africa–France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth Summit and was witnessed by President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Under the partnership, Palais des Thés will purchase Kenyan speciality teas, including Purple White, Purple Golden, Purple Simba and Purple Black varieties, while also promoting Kenyan tea through its international retail and educational platforms.
The deal is expected to open new opportunities for Kenyan tea farmers, particularly smallholders, by linking them directly to high-value speciality tea markets in Europe and beyond.
Equity Group said the partnership was facilitated through its Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan (ARRP), which focuses on expanding trade opportunities, promoting value addition and integrating African producers into global supply chains.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Equity Group Managing Director and CEO James Mwangi said the agreement would help improve livelihoods for tea farmers by expanding their access to premium global buyers.
“This agreement is about transforming the livelihoods of our small-scale tea farmers. By linking them to premium global buyers, we are not only expanding market access but also ensuring that value addition begins at the source, where farmers are fully integrated into global trade opportunities,” Mwangi said.
He added that the partnership demonstrated how strategic collaboration could create sustainable income opportunities for agricultural communities.
“Our focus is to ensure farmers and agribusinesses are not just producers, but active participants in global value chains. This partnership demonstrates how the right ecosystem support can unlock sustainable income and growth for agricultural communities,” he said.
The agreement also places renewed focus on Kenya’s growing specialty tea sector, particularly purple tea, an indigenous tea variety developed by the Tea Research Institute of Kenya.
Purple tea has increasingly attracted attention in international markets due to its high antioxidant content, distinct flavour profile and growing demand among consumers seeking premium and health-focused tea products.
Founder and CEO of Palais des Thés François-Xavier Delmas said the company intended to position Kenyan purple tea as a premium global product.
“Kenyan purple tea is not only an exceptional product in terms of quality but also a compelling expression of origin, climate, and craftsmanship,” Delmas said.
“Our role goes beyond procurement; it is about elevating its story on the global stage and positioning it within a category of teas that consumers value for authenticity and distinction,” he added.
Gatanga Industries chairman Karanja Kinyanjui described the agreement as a major breakthrough for farmers who have long lacked access to premium international buyers.
“For a long time, our farmers have been growing a unique crop without clear access to buyers who fully understand its value. This agreement changes that,” Kinyanjui said.
“It tells the farmer that what they grow belongs in the highest-value markets,” he added.
Tea remains one of Kenya’s leading foreign exchange earners and a major source of livelihood for millions of households, especially in rural highland regions.
Stakeholders say the new partnership could help encourage a gradual shift from bulk tea exports to higher-value speciality tea production, allowing farmers to earn more from smaller, premium-focused volumes.
The agreement also strengthens trade ties between Kenya and France at a time when both countries are seeking deeper economic cooperation through the Africa Forward Summit currently underway in Nairobi.
