My Kenyan Tea
Wherever you are, whatever the moment.
The man behind the blend.
The founder, Shafiq Makrani has never met a stranger he didn’t want to know better. Trading spices, tea, coffee, and produce out of Mombasa just gives him an excuse to keep doing what he loves most, sitting down with someone new. As Managing Director of Elite Exchange Kenya Limited, he has built a reputation not just for what the company trades, spices, nuts, tea, coffee, fresh fruits and vegetables, but for how he shows up: present, curious, and genuinely interested in the people on the other side of the table.
Somewhere along the way, tea became more than a product he traded. It became a language he understood, the thing people reach for when they want to slow down and actually talk to one another. Every place he has visited, every fair he has walked, every new supplier or old friend he has sat with, has carried the same quiet ritual:
“A CUP OF TEA AND A CONVERSATION WORTH HAVING”
Chai Sheshe grew out of that instinct, a brand built by someone who has always believed that the best deals, and the best days, start with sitting down, pouring a cup, and genuinely wanting to know the person across from you.
WHY CHAI SHESHE
Some of the best conversations begin with a cup of tea
At Chai Sheshe, we believe tea has a quiet way of bringing people together. It is there for slow mornings, busy afternoons, unexpected visitors, and the small moments you almost forget to notice. Our name means beautiful teas in Swahili, and that simple idea shapes everything we do.
We are a Kenyan tea brand by Elite Exchange, based in Mombasa. Every blend starts with Kenyan tea leaves, sourced from tea-growing regions.We focus on creating blends that are enjoyable to drink every day, whether you prefer a strong black tea, a lighter green tea, or a naturally refreshing herbal blend. We keep our collection simple.
Our Pure Teas draw on the character of Kenyan black and green tea. Our Signature Blends combine tea with familiar flavours such as ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, lemon, and warming spices. Our Herbal Blends bring together botanicals chosen for their natural flavour combinations.
Whether you enjoy a classic black tea or the brightness of hibiscus and lemongrass, there is always something waiting for you. Our teas are available as Loose Tea in 250g packs for those who enjoy brewing their own pot, and Tea Bags in 25 count boxes for everyday moments.
For us, tea is about more than what is in the cup. It is about welcoming family without needing a reason. It is about catching up with friends after a long week. It is about finding a few quiet minutes for yourself before the day begins again. Those are the moments we think about every time we blend a new tea.
From our home in Mombasa to your cup, thank you for making Chai Sheshe part of your table.
Why we started
Spiced tea has roots on the Swahili Coast, where centuries of trade brought spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger through Mombasa long before chai became a household name across Kenya. Most tea sold today comes in one flavor, made far from where it’s actually consumed. Chai Sheshe blends tea with real spices, close to home in Mombasa, adding another cup to a coastal tradition that goes back generations.
Want to explore more of this history?
Swahili Coast
World History Encyclopedia
Flavors of Coastal Kenya
Shane Mitchell, Saveur
Chai: Kenya's Love Language
Parents Africa
Kenyan tea, by the numbers
World's top black tea exporter
Kenya is the world’s largest exporter of black tea.
Grown in the Rift Valley highlands
Cultivated at 1,500 to 2,300 meters above sea level.
Harvested year-round
No single flush or off-season, unlike other tea origins.
Sources: Tea Board Of Kenya & International Tea Committee
Research on Kenyan Tea
Kenya’s Tea Research Institute has spent decades studying tea cultivars grown in the country, including a purple leaf variety (TRFK 306) developed over 25 years of breeding work. Researchers at Egerton University and the Tea Research Foundation of Kenya have published peer reviewed studies characterizing the chemical composition of teas grown in Kenya’s highland regions.
Characterization of anthocyanins in Kenyan teas: Extraction and identification
Kerio, L. C., et al. “Characterization of Anthocyanins in Kenyan Teas: Extraction and Identification.” Food Chemistry, vol. 131, no. 1, 2012, pp. 31-38, doi.
Green tea from purple leaf coloured tea clones in Kenya: their quality characteristics
Kilel, E C et al. “Green tea from purple leaf coloured tea clones in Kenya- their quality characteristics.” Food chemistry vol. 141,2 (2013): 769-75.
Advances in Purple Tea Research: Chemical Compositions, Anthocyanin Synthesis and Regulation, Processing
Yan, Meihong, et al. “Advances in Purple Tea Research: Chemical Compositions, Anthocyanin Synthesis and Regulation, Processing, and Health Benefits.” Horticulturae, vol. 10, no. 1, 2024, article 50, MDPI, doi.