ORIGIN & SOURCING:

Estate: Satemwa Estate, Thyolo Mountain, Shire Highlands, Malawi

History: The oldest tea estate in Malawi, established in the 1920s when Jesuit missionaries brought tea bushes from China via Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden. Still family-run after nearly 100 years—Alex Kay is the 3rd generation to look after the garden.

Status: One of the last independent farms in Malawi, not owned or managed by agribusiness. Approximately 800 employees support a wider community of around 10,000 people.

Fairly traded and directly sourced by Rare Tea Company. Grown sustainably without herbicides or pesticides using organic farming principles.

THE STORY BEHIND LOST MALAWI:

“It started as I turned over and over a parcel I’d received through the post, a small box completely covered in bright stamps and postmarked ‘Malawi’. I opened it to find that the box was made from a cornflakes packet. I didn’t have high hopes. I assumed that African tea would be low quality and industrially processed; I knew that a lot of teabag tea came from Kenya and Malawi. I wasn’t prepared for what I was about to taste. I still remember the surprise of those first sips. It was deep but also elegant. There was something rich and familiar, the strong arms of someone who takes care of you, but on top of that such sweetness that I’d only associated with the finest China tea…I had to go and find the people who made it.”

— Henrietta Lovell, Founder, Rare Tea Company

Henrietta first visited Satemwa in 2008. By 2009, Lost Malawi was on the shelves in Waitrose, and the relationship has flourished ever since.

THE SATEMWA DIFFERENCE:

Satemwa champions orthodox tea-making in Malawi—meaning leaves crafted in small batches, not produced by large industrial machines. The estate’s ambition has always been to create a thriving community and rich ecosystem. They maintain areas of protected virgin forest within the farm that serve as animal migration pathways and home to rare bird species and ancient trees.

The farm practices organic agriculture with homemade organic “tea” fertiliser to enrich the soil. Beyond tea, Satemwa grows diverse crops including coffee, hibiscus, mints, lemongrass, lemon verbena, peppers, and many tree species for shade, fuel, and building materials—enriching biodiversity.

ABOUT ALEX KAY:

“Alex is Malawian; he was born in Malawi and speaks all the local dialects. His Scottish heritage is an interesting story to him, but he’s never been there. He lives in a local house on the farm. Most strikingly, he doesn’t have a superior attitude. I’ve seen a lot of paternalistic hauteur across the tea world, and not by any means just from white men in Africa or India. That attitude seems to come not so much with nationality or skin colour but with wealth and status. Alex treats everyone with the same thoughtful respect. He’s a gentle, kind, and a truly honourable man.”

— Henrietta Lovell

ABOUT RARE TEA COMPANY:

Founded in 2004 by Henrietta Lovell (The Tea Lady). Working with Satemwa since 2007 in a relationship founded on mutual respect, innovation, and shared values. Lost Malawi is supplied to prestigious locations including Claridge’s, Four Seasons, and the Edition.

RARE CHARITY:

A percentage of all tea sales goes directly to Rare Charity (rarecharity.com), supporting educational scholarships on partner farms.

TASTING NOTES:

Deep, rich, and malty with notes of caramel and burnt sugar. Complex layers reveal themselves with each sip—familiar and comforting like strong arms taking care of you, yet surprisingly sweet with an elegance usually associated with the finest China tea. When enjoyed black, the tea shows refined complexity. With milk, it transforms into something sweet and chocolatey with warm malt notes reminiscent of Milo. Brews to a deep chocolate-brown liquor.

PERFECT FOR:

Traditional English breakfast with eggs and bacon, afternoon tea with clotted cream and scones, any time you want a full-bodied yet elegant cup. Versatile enough to enjoy black or with milk and sugar. Goes splendidly with both savoury and sweet foods.

THE CRAFT:

Like all good crops, the leaf is seasonal—picked only when the tea bush is at its best. The tea is blended from different varietals and harvests across the estate to build great depth of flavour and rich complexity. This seasonal approach and careful blending create a tea that’s three-dimensional compared to ordinary industrial tea—”like comparing a line-drawing with a sculpture.”

WHY “LOST” MALAWI:

The name celebrates the rediscovery of exceptional African tea that had been “lost” to industrial production. Alex Kay’s life work is to prove that tea from Africa is more than teabags—it is a world-class, exceptionally well-crafted product that deserves recognition alongside the finest teas from China and India.

STORAGE: Store in the tin in a cool, dry place away from strong odours. Keep airtight to preserve freshness. Once opened, consume within three months for optimal flavour (though sealed, the best before date is 5 years).

CERTIFICATIONS: Grown sustainably without herbicides or pesticides, Direct Trade, Fair Trade, organic farming practices, supports Rare Charity