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Kenya Tea Packers (Ketepa) has unveiled a Valentine's Day campaign to have Kenyans celebrate love through the long standing tradition of tea drinking.
Ketepa managing director John Ngatia said the campaign features specially designed tea packages containing the company's signature blends, each accompanied by heartfelt messages.
"Tea has always been at the heart of human connection in our culture. Through our 'Envelopes of Love' campaign, we're elevating the simple act of sharing tea into a profound expression of love and togetherness," he said.
Kenya is one of the major tea producers in the world, and the beverage is consumed in almost every household.
In 2021, the total domestic tea consumption reached approximately 38.4 million kilogrammes, according to Statistica.
A lot of the tea, however, is destined for the international market where it is in demand because of its high quality.
Data by Tea Board of Kenya shows that in 2023, the total export volume increased by 16 per cent from 450.33 million kilogrammes recorded in 2022 to 522.92 million kilogrammes.
Owing to increased volume of exports coupled with favourable exchange rate to the USD and stable prices, the export earnings from tea reached a record of Sh180.57 billion from Sh138.09 billion the previous year," the tea board said.
"This represented a 31 per cent increase in value of exports and is the best earnings ever recorded by the tea industry over the years."
The tea, especially from factories managed by Kenya Tea Development Agency, is mostly sold through the Mombasa Tea Auction, which also handles consignments from other countries in the region.
In the latest weekly auction, farmers earned Sh1.3 billion from the sale of 5,148,159kg.
The Ketepa campaign will also have a digital component, encouraging customers to share their 'Sip of Love' moments across social media platforms.
The initiative aims to create a virtual community of tea lovers sharing their stories of connection and affection.
"Our vision is to make every cup of tea an opportunity for meaningful connection, not just on Valentine's Day, but throughout the year," Ngatia said.
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