The first Malawi tea was planted in 1878 with tea plants from Natal in South Africa, but the unpredictable weather of southern Malawi proved unsuitable for this variety. Since that time varieties more suitable to the Malawi climate have been developed.
Most Zimbabwe tea is sold to the United Kingdom for use in blended tea bags. Zimbabwe tea has a full flavor and brews to a colorful liquor.
The first Kenyan teas were planted in 1903 from tea seedlings originating in India. It is currently one of the major tea producing countries of the world with production exceeding 240,000 tonnes a year. VIDEO
When Tanzania became a republic in 1961 the government nationalized many of the large tea estates and encouraged smallholders to grow tea independently. Current support for smallholder tea producers has been the main factor in the improving quality of Tanzanian tea in recent years.
