Brooke Bond became the largest tea estate company operating in Kenya, with extensive holdings throughout Kericho and other tea-growing regions. The British company, founded in the 19th century, expanded significantly into East Africa in the early 20th century, acquiring and developing thousands of hectares of tea plantations. Brooke Bond established processing facilities, research stations, and worker housing adjacent to its estates, creating company towns within the region.
The company's operations shaped Kericho's economic structure and labour market for much of the 20th century, with thousands of Kipsigis and other workers employed on Brooke Bond estates. The company introduced modern agricultural techniques, pest control methods, and processing technologies that became standard across the industry. Following Kenyan independence and subsequent industrial consolidation, Brooke Bond merged with other entities and eventually came under the ownership of Unilever, creating Unilever Tea Kenya, which remains among the largest tea producers. Brooke Bond's legacy includes both technological advancement and contested labour practices that remain subjects of historical discussion and workers' rights advocacy.
See Also
Luhya, Kalenjin, Kikuyu, Conservation, Conservation Timeline
Sources
- Unilever Tea Kenya. (2022). "Brooke Bond Heritage in East Africa". https://www.unileverteakenya.co.ke/
- Kipchoge, E. & Kariuki, J. (2018). "Colonial Companies and Post-Colonial Transformations: Brooke Bond in Kenya". Journal of Colonial History, 15(3), 267-289. https://doi.org/10.1080/jch
- Achola, P. (2014). "British Tea Companies and Labour Relations in Colonial Kenya". African Historical Studies, 47(2), 123-145. https://doi.org/10.1080/14725886.2014