Great Lake Plantations is an agro business based out of Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is a subsidiary of M.K Shah Exports Ltd., one of India’s largest exporters of premium quality Orthodox teas.
In early February 2014, Great Lake Plantations SARL (GLP) first laid its sights upon M’bayo and Magada tea estates in Bukavu, South Kivu. The abandoned estates were soon acquired by GLP, thus beginning the renaissance of Congo’s tea industry.
Along with tea, GLP has approximately 200 ha under Cinchona plantation and recently commenced it’s commercial trading. Pharmaceutical companies use cinchona’s bark to extract ‘Quinine’, which is an active ingredient in anti malarial drugs.
As of today, M’bayo Tea Estate has become the first company to introduce premium quality orthodox teas in DRC. It is also, the only tea company in Congo on par with International standards, having obtained certificates such as ISO 22000 and HACCP.
