05/03/2026
🌿 From the Tea Fields to the Factory Floor as a Manager: Mercy’s Inspiring Journey
Mercy’s journey is what real opportunity looks like.
Ten years ago, Mercy Tonui stepped into the tea industry as a management trainee, eager to understand every step of the journey from bush to cup.
She started in the fields, learning directly from estate teams the precision of agronomy and the art of harvesting tea.
Soon after, she became an Estate Assistant, managing field teams and ensuring the delivery of high-quality green leaf to the factory.
But Mercy wanted to understand the entire value chain.
So she moved into factory operations.
As a Factory Assistant, she mastered the science behind tea manufacture, learning the critical quality parameters that transform fresh leaf into world-class tea.
Today, Mercy is an Assistant Factory Manager, overseeing the entire processing floor, driving continuous improvement, and coordinating field and factory teams to produce exceptional tea.
Her journey reflects more than personal ambition. It reflects opportunity.
At Browns Plantations in Kenya, comprising 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘀 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 PLC and 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘀 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗮 𝗟𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱, empowering women has been a deliberate journey.
In 2014, women in leadership roles were in the single digits. Today, over 39% of leadership roles are held by women.
That is not just a statistic. It is transformation. It is opportunity. It is generational change.
Mercy represents thousands of women across our value chain, from field to factory to global markets, proving that Kenyan agriculture has a powerful female voice.
As we approach International Women's Day, we celebrate women like Mercy who are shaping the future of agriculture.
Because when women rise:
✔ Families grow stronger
✔ Communities become more resilient
✔ Industries become more sustainable
🍃 Learn more about how we are building an inclusive future in agriculture:
👉 https://www.brownsplantations.co.ke/
fans Tea Board of Kenya UN Women Finlays Community Trust Kenya Institute of Management
