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Sireet Tea Factory, owned by Sireet Outgrowers Empowerment and Producer Company, has been commissioned in Nandi County.

The new factory has 6235 members, drawn from amongst small-scale farmers. It is the second factory owned by the firm that also runs another two-line one that can process 98,000 kilogrammes of green leaf daily.

The factory, located in Kamarich, was constructed after full financing by the National Bank of Kenya (NBK). The funding has boosted an additional daily processing capacity of 5 million kilogrammes of green leaf annually, to meet growing demand from increasing acreage of tea planted in the area.

NBK’s Board Chair, John Nyerere said during the commissioning, “We are excited to be part of the transformational journey of Sireet. It is a demonstration of the huge strength in unity. It shows the huge potential that can be unlocked when investors come together, with a common purpose, and receive the right backing.”

Formed in 2005, Sireet Outgrowers Empowerment and Producer Company owns a 7,000-acre tea estate, considering that tea is the main agricultural product in Nandi County. It employs 240 people, besides owning commercial forests, and running Sireet OEP Guesthouse, a school, dispensary and staff housing in the area.

The Chairman of the company Mr. Wilson Tuei said, “The commissioning of this new factory is a huge milestone. It significantly enhances our ability to produce quality tea products for the whole world. We are grateful for the great support from NBK that has helped make this a reality. Besides adding capacity to process our members’ produce, this also will also create wealth and job opportunities”.