Sourced directly from producers in Japan. Certified organic, third-party tested, verified origin.
Not all matcha is created equal. Matcha Métier has hand-picked a collection from all over Japan & brings these gems to you.
JOIN THE WAITLIST →We source Japanese matcha for U.S. cafés, hotels, restaurants, and beverage brands, with verified origin, grade selection suited to each use case.
Add a second Japanese tea category.
We source Japanese hojicha for lattes, desserts, evening menus, and customers who want a roasted, lower-caffeine option.
Choose the right tea for the right use.
Straight matcha, lattes, pastries, and retail tins need different grades. We help you avoid overpaying for the wrong product.
Plan beyond one order.
Japanese tea supply changes by harvest, producer capacity, and global demand. We help cafés and brands secure repeatable supply before menu demand grows.
Japan's tea industry recently filed a national Geographical Indication application in response to concerns around counterfeit Uji matcha and international trademark disputes. If approved, Japanese tea would become Japan's second nationally protected GI product after sake. As green tea exports reached a record $500M+ in 2025, questions around origin verification and protected standards are increasingly relevant for U.S. buyers.
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No government body in Japan formally defines ceremonial grade. Producers set their own thresholds. Measurable variables include shading duration, harvest timing, tencha processing methods, and milling practices.
A matcha latte can use 2g, 3g, or 5g of matcha depending on drink style, milk volume, sweetness, and price point. Portion size changes flavor, cost per cup, inventory needs, and purchasing volume.
Matcha is a whole-leaf powder made from shade-grown Camellia sinensis leaves. Drinking it means consuming the entire leaf, which concentrates antioxidants, amino acids, and vitamins at levels steeped green tea can't reach. Research links regular matcha consumption to improved cognitive function, lower LDL cholesterol, better gut microbiome diversity, and reduced stress.
Kyoto had 1,679 tea-farming households in 2008. By 2023, that number had fallen to 645. More than half of producers are over sixty years old, and many do not have identified successors. Businesses without diversified sourcing strategies may face increasing supply risk in the seasons ahead.
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The Kyoto Prefecture Tea Industry Council defines Uji matcha as tea finished by Kyoto-based businesses using leaves from Kyoto, Nara, Shiga, and Mie. Uji City itself has around 80 hectares of tea gardens. Buyers pay considerably more for Uji-labeled products. What the label covers and how to verify it for an import order are two different conversations.
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Supply pressure is no longer limited to matcha. Hojicha, long considered an everyday tea in Japan, is also becoming harder to source as global demand rises. Growing international interest, declining tea production capacity, and shifts toward higher-value matcha production are changing the market. For cafés and brands, long-term supply planning is becoming increasingly important.
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Producer, cultivar, origin, harvest timing, shade method, drying process, and milling method each affect the final cup. None of these variables reliably appear on retail packaging.
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U.S. matcha retail sales rose 77% over the past three years, while coffee remains the dominant daily habit. Growth is emerging in afternoon drinks, wellness-focused purchases, and premium café menus.
Read moreCommon indicators include origin claims that cannot be traced to a specific producer, COAs issued by a broker rather than the processing facility, and pricing that does not align with the stated grade specification.
Read moreMATCHA MÉTIER focuses on origin transparency and grade selection by use case.
The long-term goal is to provide stable access to Japanese tea through stronger relationships between producers and buyers.
ReadWe are building a sourcing network for cafés, hotels, and beverage brands seeking long-term access to curated Matcha & Hojicha.
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