Meet our Members

Tehmeena (Tee) Manji

Tehmeena Manji, Founder of Muthaiga Tea Company, standing close to a banner of her company and a table. On the table there is a kilner with tea and some tasting cups — **Tehmeena Manji, Founder of Muthaiga Tea Company**

Tehmeena cheering with a cup of tea with three men at a table.

For Tehmeena Manji, tea is a journey - one that began with curiosity and grew into a lifelong dedication to the craft. As one of East Africa’s first Certified Tea Sommeliers, she has explored tea not only as a drink, but as an expression of land, culture, and human connection.

Her path has taken her through the tea fields of Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania, and into the heart of Japan’s centuries-old tea traditions. These experiences inspired her to create Muthaiga Tea Company (MTC) in 2020, a brand devoted to showcasing the elegance and diversity of African orthodox teas.

Today, Tehmeena curates rare and distinctive blends that celebrate Africa’s tea terroir while bringing a refined, contemporary perspective to tea culture. She also plays an active role in the industry as a judge for Kenyan orthodox teas with the East African Tea Trade Association (EATTA) and part of the UK Tea Academy Experts where she teaches the African Teas unit section for the Academy.

In 2023, she introduced Baridi Brew, a ready-to-drink cold tea brand crafted for modern lifestyles without compromising the authenticity and richness of real tea.

Whether through education, innovation, or blending, Tehmeena’s work is rooted in one belief: tea has the power to slow us down, connect us more deeply, and tell stories that deserve to be shared.