About Siomo

Siomo Tea Factory (EPZ)

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TEA GROWING AREA IN KENYA



TEA GROWING AREAS • KIPTENDEN
• KAPTEBENGWET
• SIOMO • CHEBANGANG
• KIPRERES • MOGOGOSIEK
• SOTIT • BOITO
• EMBOMOS • RUSEYA/CHEBILAT
• CHEPTALAL
• SATIET
• KOIWA

HUMAN RESOURCES

• Siomo Tea Factory(EPZ) LTD provides employment opportunity and
good working environment.

• We currently employ over 100 skilled workers.
• The company provides continuous training to its employees to ensure

skills and competence development.
• Siomo factory has put policies in place to ensure compliance to

gender and labour regulations.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Managing Director

GENERAL MANAGER

FINANCE MANAGER PRODUCTION OUTGROWERS
MANAGER MANAGER

HR Assistant Accountant Production Factory Foreman Factory Electrician Field Extension ICT Assistant
Assistant x2 Officer x 2

Administrative Clerk Accounts Clerk Tea Tasters x2 Plumber/Workshop CTC Sharpening/ Assistant Factory Weighbridge Clerk x
Machine Operator Electrician x 2 1

x12

Security Supervisor Stores & Tractor Driver Pump Attendant x3 Green Leaf Clerk
procurement x20

Drivers x2

Cleaners x 3

2nd March 2015 – The construction of the factory began.

15th June 2017 - The factory began operating.

THE HISTORY OF TEA

• The second emperor of China ,Shen Nung, discovers tea when tea
leaves blow into his cup of hot water.

• In 1824 the first tea plant was brought to Ceylon and planted in the
Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya.

• The pioneer of Ceylon Tea industry James Taylor planted the 19 acres
of tea in ‘‘Loolecondra’’ Estate near to the Kandy.

• Tea Sector plays most vital role in Kenya economy.

IDEAL GROWING CONDITIONS FOR TEA

• Cold and moist climate
• Temperature ranging from 10°C – 30°C
• Average yearly rainfall of around 200mm
• Ground level of between 600m – 200m above sea level

BLACK CTC TEA PROCESSING

PICKING TEA /PLUCKING TEA
• It is a process of manually harvesting desirable leaves from a tea bush.
• Our acceptable standard is predominantly two leaves and a bud.

LEAF QUALITY CONTROL

• GLCC inspects to confirm if it meets minimum acceptable standards

• The farmers who have been allocated unique grower numbers weighs
the leaves and the data is captured using Octagon PDA .

COLLECTION CENTRE

GREEN LEAF TRANSPORTATION AND WEIGHBRIDGE

GREEN LEAF RECEPTION

WITHERING

• Plucked leaf is spread in withering bins for chemical withering. This process takes 8 to 16 hours
depending on the condition of the leaf.

• During this stage enzymatic reactions occur increasing the levels of polyphenols which give a desirable
characteristic to the made tea

• The stage two physical wither reduces the moisture content of the fresh leaf from 80% to 70%. The
process takes 2 hours.



CONTINOUS CONTINOUS
CHEMICAL WITHERING
(CCW) PHYSICAL
• Withering process
WITHERING
also initiates
chemical reactions • The reduction in
in the leaf cell for moisture makes
quality tea the leaf pliable
production. and easier to cut
during rolling.

Cut, Tearing & Curling
CTC

• This is the second stage of tea
processing which involves
macerating and cutting the leaf
to produce particles of different
shapes and sizes. The Machine
raptures the cells releasing leaf
juices and enzymes which
activates oxidation.

• Magnets are strategically located
in the CTC conveyors to capture
metals that may accidentally be
present in the tea.

CUT, TEARING, CURLING (CTC)

CUT, TEARING, CURLING (CTC)

FERMENTATION

• Fermentation (oxidization) is a very important stage as it determines the
quality of made tea. The crushed leaf is exposed to oxygen, and the mixing of
tea compounds polyphenols and polyphenol oxidases occur.

• Catechins and polyphenols in presence of peroxidases enzymes are
responsible for flavouring of tea. Enzymatic browning causes the leaf to
change from green to tan.

• This process releases heat hence the need to closely monitor the parameters
that is: oxygen, time, temperature and humidity at required limits for
optimum and quality oxidation thus achieving quality made tea



DRYING

• Drying process is the fourth stage in tea
processing, this involves the physical
removal of moisture from 68% -3%. This
process is crucial as it seals in all the
flavour and the nice tea aroma.

• Tea is dried by exposing the moist
fermented leaf particles to a stream of
heated air. Some of the flavour
characteristics of the final product are
developed as the leaf heats up during the
drying process, and eventually the high
temperature causes the enzyme
destruction or inactivation necessary for
preservation of the product.

• Tea drying also stops oxidation and
changes the tea colour from tan to
blackish brown.

• This process step has been identified as a
CCP for controlling biological hazards in the
process

SORTING & GRADING

• Dried tea leaves from the dryer
consists of a mixture of different
particle sizes and includes a percentage
of stalk and fibre.

• The latter can depend on the original
plucking standard used and the climatic
conditions during growth.

• The sorting and grading equipment
consists of stalk and fibre removal
apparatus combined with machinery
for separating into even – sized
portions.

• As the dried tea moves along the
various conveyors in the sorting area, it
passes close between or beneath
electronically charged rollers which
attract the fibre and stalk.

• The fibre free tea is sent for grading
into Brokens pekoe, Pekoe Fannings,
Broken mixed Fannings and Dust.

PACKING & DISPATCHING

• After sorting and grading, made tea is
conveyed to bulk storage bins before
packing and dispatch.

• The loss in value of tea on transit
from the factory to the consumer
might be as a result inadequate
packaging, particularly with regard to
moisture pick-up.

• Therefore, drying must be followed by
protective packaging to prevent
moisture intake while on transit.

• The most modern packaging is done
using laminated paper sacks(
Aluminium foil) with an internal
moisture barrier combined with an
adequate sealing system.

• Different types of packaging is used
for value addition.

DISPATCH

TYPES OF TEA

 Fresh and healthy tips from 15/10 clone green leaf were gently picked
 Withered for 18 hours then bruised using porous basket
 Sundried for a day on a fully sunny day
 Dried in the last section of the dryer for 8 minutes to reduce moisture content to 3% M.C

 Green leaf is selected, blanched at 75°C for one minute, cooled and dried before being subjected to CTC
then dried in the dryers.

 Dryer Mouth was sieved using mesh 10 and 12
 Green leaf is selected and withered at CCW for a duration of 24 hrs. to a moisture content of 67.8°C
 Underwent the CTC cut then dried at the normal dryers temperatures
 Dryers mouth was sieved using Mesh 10 and 12, both Dryers mouth teas blended

o Greenleaf sourced from Out growers preferably mixed with done tea leaves
 The tea undergoes wither at CCW and CPW to attain a moisture content of 69
 Passed through normal black tea processing with no add backs
 The feeding rate of 1800kg per hr. was used so as to achieve the required depth of 4 inches at the C.F.U
 Sorting is done twice 1.To attain grades 2. Done particularly to the individual sorted grade

HEALTH BENEFIT OF TEA

• Higher antioxidant capacity than fruits and vegetables.
• Aids in relaxation
• Promotes natural immune
• Aids in fight against infection
• Reduce risk of heart diseases, cancers, cholesterol level,
higher blood pressure.
• Reduces eye fatigue

Q&A

Thank you.

Tea Factory Limited (EPZ)