Eid Morning in a Cup: The Story of Milk Tea in Egypt

Updated 3/29/2025 9:00:00 AM

As Eid El-Fitr approaches, Egyptians prepare to celebrate with cherished traditions, especially on the first day. After the Eid prayer, families gather for a special breakfast featuring Eid cookies (Kahk) and biscuits, best enjoyed with milk tea, one of Egypt's most popular beverages.

In this factsheet, we explore key facts about the main ingredients that make this cozy beverage. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy a warm cup of milk tea as you read along!

Tea first made its way to Egypt in the 16 ^th century and gradually became a widely accessible beverage across all social and economic classes. Egypt’s geographical location, bridging Asia and Africa, facilitated the smooth introduction and widespread availability of tea.
Tea is not cultivated in Egypt primarily due to the country’s unsuitable climate and soil conditions. Hence, Egypt depends entirely on imports.
In 2024, Egypt imported $268 million worth of black tea, marking a 13% decline from $307 million in 2023.
Kenya is Egypt’s primary tea supplier, accounting for approximately 95% of total tea Egypt also imports black tea from India and Sri Lanka.
As for milk, Egypt’s production currently stands at 7.5 million tons annually, achieving 100% self-sufficiency with a surplus for exports.
By the end of 2023, Egypt had 826 milk collection centers, each with an average production capacity of 20 to 30 tons per day. Damietta, Behira, and Menoufia are Egypt’s top milk-producing governorates.
Egypt cultivates both sugarcane and sugar beet. In season 2024/2025, Egypt’s production of sugar recorded 2.7 million tons.
In 2024, Egypt’s imports of sugar increased by 38% to $1 billion, compared to $729 million in 2023. Brazil is Egypt’s top sugar suppl
As per recent market prices, making milk tea for your family on Eid’s first day will cost around EGP 23-27 for 250 grams of black tea, EGP 45-48 for a liter of milk, and EGP 35 for 1 kilogram of white sugar.

By: Amina Hussein