Where Kenya's tea industry meets China's market, capital and technology
Brewing Strategic Partnerships for Sustainable Tea Trade, Investment and Innovation
- Venue
- Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Nairobi
- Dates
- Days to opening
- 241
- Organised by
- Orbitline Events & Ushers Ltd
The number this summit is built on
Kenya exported 652.8 million kilogrammes of tea in 2025, worth KES 186.91 billion. China bought 13,011 tonnes of it, around two per cent.
China is the largest tea market in the world. Pakistan alone takes 36 per cent of Kenya's exports. The opportunity sits in the distance between those two figures.
This summit puts both sides in the same room for three days.
Source: Tea Board of Kenya, Tea Industry Performance Report 2025. China import figure for 2024, Ecofin Agency.
What the summit works on
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Grow direct trade
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Support value addition
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Bring investment closer to the industry
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Put technology in front of the people who use it
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Make market access easier to understand
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Celebrate tea as business and culture
| Day | Proceedings |
|---|---|
| 1 · |
Opening ceremony and Trade ForumA practical look at the Kenya-China tea market: demand, product fit, standards, routes to market and the relationships needed to grow trade. |
| 2 · |
Investment Forum, Innovation Conference and B2B MatchmakingFinancing, equipment, technology and structured meetings between relevant buyers, suppliers and partners. |
| 3 · |
International Tea & Technology Expo, Cultural Exchange and Closing CeremonyTea products, processing solutions, agricultural technologies and logistics services, alongside cultural programming and the summit close. |
The International Tea & Technology Expo
146 stands across two halls, in a tent on the KICC grounds. Tea products, processing equipment, agricultural technology and logistics services. The expo runs on Day 3, with the full delegation on site.
Stand rates and sizes: to be announced.
Who attends
- Tea growers, factories, producer organisations and exporters
- Importers, distributors, tea houses, retailers and consumer brands
- Investors, banks, insurers and development finance institutions
- Machinery, packaging and agricultural technology companies
- Logistics, warehousing, customs and trade-service providers
- Government ministries, regulators and trade-promotion agencies
- Universities, researchers, trainers and standards specialists
- Hotels, restaurants, tourism operators and tea-culture organisations
- Business and industry media
B2B meetings
Delegates create a profile stating what they sell or want to buy, then request meetings with other delegates. The Secretariat schedules every accepted meeting into a Day 2 slot.
Partner with the summit
Five levels. Package contents: to be announced.
- Title Partner Open
- Platinum Partner Open
- Gold Partner Open
- Silver Partner Open
- Supporting Partner Open
Any organisation whose business grows as China's share of Kenyan tea grows has a reason to be visible here.
Coming to Nairobi
The summit runs at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in central Nairobi. Kenya's tea-growing highlands sit within a few hours of the city, and most visitors need an Electronic Travel Authorisation before departure.
News and insights
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What Chinese buyers look for in African tea
For exporters weighing whether the Chinese market is worth the effort.
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Registration is open. Here is what follows.
Two minutes now, and the Secretariat comes back to you as each piece is confirmed.
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Why the summit is at KICC, and why the expo is in a tent
The venue is confirmed. Here is how the three days use it.
Organiser and partners
- Orbitline Events & Ushers Ltd Organiser
- Tea Board of Kenya Partner