Local consumption at a five-year high

PHOTO | FILEA farmer picks tea leaves at Gathuthi village in Nyeri County on September 16, 2013. Local consumption of tea rose to a five-year high in 2013 on aggressive marketing campaigns by the Tea Board of Kenya.   NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• TBK statistics show that consumption has risen consistently in the last five years, driven by increased brand marketing.

By JOSHUA MASINDE
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Local consumption of tea rose to a five-year high in 2013 on aggressive marketing campaigns by the Tea Board of Kenya.

TBK statistics show that consumption has risen consistently in the last five years, driven by increased brand marketing.

According to the figures, consumption rose by 16.7 per cent in 2013 to 26.5 million kilos, up from 22.7 million kilos in 2012. In 2008, consumption stood at 18 million kilos.

Mr Peter Kimanga, chair of the East African Tea Traders Association, attributes the increased uptake to low tea prices seen in 2013 and increased promotional efforts to encourage locals to drink tea as an alternative beverage.

According to Mr Kimanga, current local consumption levels are still low, with the average Kenyan consumption at about 400 grammes per capita per annum, compared to an average rate of one kilogramme per person in some of the countries that import from Kenya. The economic ideal for consumption, according to Mr Kimanga, should be 700gms of tea per capita