Regulatory Compliance & Recent Trade Discussions - Official Response

In March 2021, Cup of Joe Ltd legally imported tea into Kenya for the sole purpose of blending. The verification process of the imported teas was conducted under the supervision of a multi-agency team, which included  officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and the Tea board of Kenya (TBK).

In a letter dated 28 September 2021, the Managing Director of the Tea Board of Kenya confirmed that the imported teas conformed to the required standards and that blending and re-exportation were duly authorized. The matter that was before the Court in Judicial Review Application No. E051 of 2021 was conclusively determined in our favour, with the Court affirming that the importation and blending process complied with the law.

Contrary to the claims being circulated, we are neither under investigation nor under any sanctions. The teas were imported in full compliance with Kenyan laws, blended with local teas, and re-exported as tea — not as premium or high-grade Kenyan tea.