Walk into any Kenyan tea auction and you will hear a language of abbreviations — BP1, PF1, FOF, FBOPFSP — that can sound impenetrable to the uninitiated. These are tea grades, and far from being arbitrary labels, they describe the physical size and style of the processed leaf in ways that directly predict how your cup will taste. Understanding grades is the single most useful thing a tea buyer can learn, whether you are a global blender sourcing containers or a home brewer choosing your next packet. At Fusion Leaf, we produce across both CTC and orthodox grade spectrums, and here is what each one means.
Black CTC Grades
- BP1 (Broken Pekoe 1): The largest CTC granule. Clean, well-rolled particles that produce a strong, brisk, coppery liquor. BP1 is the flagship grade of Kenyan CTC — it is what most specialty buyers are looking for when they want bold flavour with good leaf appearance.
- PF1 (Pekoe Fanning 1): Slightly smaller than BP1 with a faster infusion rate. Produces a dark, strong cup and is favoured for tea bags and blends that need to brew quickly and deliver immediate body.
- PD (Pekoe Dust): Finer than PF1, PD brews very quickly and produces an intensely coloured, full-bodied liquor. Popular in markets that value strength above all else.
- D1 (Dust 1): A fine-particle grade with rapid extraction. D1 delivers maximum colour and strength in the shortest brewing time, making it a staple in commercial tea bag production.
- Dust: The finest CTC grade. Extremely fast brewing with intense colour and strength. Primarily used in blending to add body and depth to lighter teas.
- F1 (Fanning 1): Flat, flaky particles that sit between PF1 and Dust in size. Produces a strong, well-coloured cup and is widely used in tea bag manufacture.
Orthodox Grades
- OPA (Orange Pekoe A): The largest orthodox grade — long, bold, wiry leaves that unfurl slowly and produce a light, aromatic liquor with multiple infusion potential.
- FOP (Flowery Orange Pekoe): A prestigious grade containing a high proportion of tips — the tender, unopened buds at the top of the tea shoot. FOP delivers a complex, layered cup with floral and honey notes.
- OP1 (Orange Pekoe 1): Well-twisted, medium-length leaves. OP1 strikes a balance between the elegance of OPA and the strength of smaller grades — aromatic, smooth, and versatile.
- Pekoe: Shorter, tighter-rolled leaves that brew a slightly stronger and darker cup than OP1. Good body with less complexity than the larger grades.
- FBOP (Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe): Broken-leaf grade with tips. FBOP brews faster than whole-leaf grades and produces a richer, more robust cup while retaining some of the aromatic complexity of FOP.
- FBOPFSP (Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe Fanning Special): A small-particle orthodox grade with excellent flavour concentration. Despite its fine size, FBOPFSP retains tippy character and is prized for blending.
- FOF (Fine Orthodox Fanning): The smallest orthodox grade. FOF brews quickly and delivers a clean, bright liquor — often used in premium tea bags where orthodox character is desired but fast infusion is necessary.
What Grade Means for Your Cup
The general principle is straightforward: larger grades brew more slowly, yield more infusions, and tend toward subtlety and complexity; smaller grades brew faster, extract more aggressively, and deliver strength and colour. Neither end of the spectrum is inherently superior — it depends entirely on what you want in your cup and how you plan to brew it. A meditative gongfu session calls for whole-leaf OPA or FOP; a quick morning mug with milk demands BP1 or PF1. At Fusion Leaf, we produce across this full range because we believe every drinker and every occasion deserves a grade that fits perfectly.