Food · Teas
Hojicha (Roasted Green Tea)
ほうじ茶 (Hōjicha)
Also known as: Roasted Green Tea, Houjicha, Toasted Tea
6Japanese suppliers ready to quoteView on the Sourcing platformWhy now · 2024 — ongoing
Hojicha: The Roasted Green Tea Catching the Matcha Overflow
As matcha allocation tightens, hojicha — roasted green tea — has emerged as the practical alternative. Distinct profile, larger supply, lower caffeine, real export momentum.
Read the trend reportAt a glance
| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| Japanese labeling name | ほうじ茶 |
| Common Japanese notations | ほうじ茶, 焙じ茶, ほうじちゃ |
| Origin | Roasted green tea — typically lower-grade sencha or bancha leaves and stems roasted at 200°C until brown |
| Typical functions | Low-caffeine everyday tea (children, elderly, evening), Foodservice and meal-pairing tea, Modern hojicha latte and confectionery flavor (rapidly growing category) |
| Regulatory status in Japan | JAS Standard for green tea (緑茶の日本農林規格) recognizes hojicha as roasted green tea. No specific GI designations for hojicha itself; uses standard origin designations of base teas. |
Hojicha (ほうじ茶) is Japan's roasted green tea — typically late-harvest sencha or bancha leaves and stems roasted at high temperature until they turn reddish-brown, transforming the grassy character of green tea into a warm, nutty, caramel-like brew. The roasting destroys most of the caffeine and catechin content, making hojicha the standard 'low-caffeine' Japanese tea served to children, the elderly, and at evening meals. Since the late 2010s, hojicha latte and hojicha-flavored confectionery have become Japan's fastest-growing tea category, driving major OEM growth in lattes, ice cream, chocolates, and baked goods.
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Classification
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Product applications
Functions
Regulatory tags
Origin
Common OEM product categories
Finished-product categories where Japanese OEM manufacturers commonly formulate with this ingredient.
- Loose-leaf hojicha (retail)
- Hojicha tea bags
- Bottled RTD hojicha
- Hojicha latte powder blends
- Hojicha-flavored ice cream, chocolates, and pastries (growing category)
Ingredient profile
Hojicha is produced by roasting cured green tea leaves at 180–220°C in rotating drum roasters for 5–15 minutes. The roasting Maillard-browns the leaves, develops nutty/caramel/woody aromatic compounds, destroys most of the caffeine (reducing to ~5mg per cup vs. 25mg for sencha), and significantly reduces catechin bitterness.
Source materials drive style. Standard hojicha uses bancha (later-harvest leaves) — economical, robust, 'everyday' character. Premium hojicha uses sencha leaves — finer aroma, more delicate. Kuki-hojicha (茎ほうじ茶) uses tea stems specifically, producing a notably sweeter and woodier brew. Asamushi (lightly roasted) is mild; fukamushi (deeply roasted) is stronger.
Industrially, hojicha is supplied as loose-leaf retail (50g–200g packets), tea bags, RTD bottled hojicha (a growing category since 2018), hojicha latte powder blends, and hojicha extract for flavor and color use in confectionery and dessert OEM. The 2018+ hojicha latte and hojicha sweets boom has been a major driver of Japanese tea-industry retail growth.
OEM applications
Family meal-pairing tea — the standard Japanese tea served at dinner and to children, valued for low caffeine and warm, comforting character.
Foodservice and ryokan — frequently served as the post-meal tea, especially in casual restaurants and ryokan.
Hojicha latte (the 2018+ growth category) — hojicha brewed strong and combined with steamed milk and (often) sugar; major café chains (Starbucks Japan, Tully's, etc.) all offer hojicha lattes.
Hojicha-flavored confectionery — hojicha ice cream, hojicha chocolate (Royce, Lindt limited editions), hojicha cookies, hojicha tiramisu, hojicha financier, and hojicha-flavored Kit-Kat and Pocky.
For OEM: loose-leaf retail private-label hojicha, RTD bottled hojicha formulations, hojicha latte powder blends with milk and sugar pre-mixed, hojicha-flavored ice cream and confectionery formulations, and hojicha extract for industrial flavor use.
Regulatory classification in Japan
JAS Standard for green tea recognizes hojicha (roasted green tea) as a standard product category.
Caffeine claims: hojicha is low-caffeine but not caffeine-free; 'カフェインレス' (caffeine-less) claims require under 2.5mg/100ml beverage.
Allergens: hojicha contains no major declared allergens.
Regulatory classification in other markets
| EU | Imported as roasted Japanese green tea. Recognition has grown significantly post-2018 with the global hojicha latte trend. |
|---|---|
| USA | Imported under FDA standard food procedures. Growing recognition in specialty cafes and confectionery markets. |
| China | Imported under GACC rules. Premium positioning in Chinese specialty café and gourmet retail. |
| Korea | Imported as Japanese specialty tea. Korean market has rapidly adopted hojicha latte trend post-2018. |
Market reference formulations
Example finished products will be added after verification of base material (sencha vs. bancha vs. kuki), roast level (light/medium/dark), and product format.
All brand names and product names referenced anywhere on this site are the property of their respective owners. Example entries are provided for informational purposes only and do not imply endorsement.
Alternative ingredients
Related ingredients commonly evaluated as substitutes.
Quick answers
- What is Hojicha (Roasted Green Tea)?
- Hojicha (ほうじ茶) is Japan's roasted green tea — typically late-harvest sencha or bancha leaves and stems roasted at high temperature until they turn reddish-brown, transforming the grassy character of green tea into a warm, nutty, caramel-like brew. The roasting destroys most of the caffeine and catechin content, making hojicha the standard 'low-caffeine' Japanese tea served to children, the elderly, and at evening meals. Since the late 2010s, hojicha latte and hojicha-flavored confectionery have become Japan's fastest-growing tea category, driving major OEM growth in lattes, ice cream, chocolates, and baked goods.
- What is the regulatory status of Hojicha (Roasted Green Tea) in Japan?
- JAS Standard for green tea (緑茶の日本農林規格) recognizes hojicha as roasted green tea. No specific GI designations for hojicha itself; uses standard origin designations of base teas.
- What products typically use Hojicha (Roasted Green Tea)?
- Loose-leaf hojicha (retail) / Hojicha tea bags / Bottled RTD hojicha / Hojicha latte powder blends / Hojicha-flavored ice cream, chocolates, and pastries (growing category)
- Where does Hojicha (Roasted Green Tea) come from?
- Roasted green tea — typically lower-grade sencha or bancha leaves and stems roasted at 200°C until brown
- What is the INCI / JSCI labeling name for Hojicha (Roasted Green Tea)?
- JSCI: ほうじ茶
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Sharing similar functions
Ingredients that overlap on functional benefit tags.
From the same origin
Other ingredients that share an origin classification.
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Regulatory guidance
Take the next step
FAQ for OEM buyers
Q. Why has hojicha become a major confectionery and latte category since 2018?
Three factors converged. First, low-caffeine positioning: hojicha appeals to consumers wary of high-caffeine matcha or coffee, including children, pregnant women, and evening drinkers. Second, distinctive roasted aroma: the warm, nutty, caramel-like character pairs naturally with milk (latte) and sugar (sweets), filling a flavor niche between matcha (vegetal) and coffee (roasted). Third, novelty: matcha had become ubiquitous in Japanese-flavored exports by 2015; hojicha emerged as the next 'authentic Japanese' flavor for café and confectionery innovation. Major chains (Starbucks Japan launched hojicha latte in 2018) accelerated the trend, and OEM hojicha categories have grown 3–5× since then.
Sources · Last reviewed: 2026-04-28
- Editorial — Japanese tea industry retail trend reference
Industry-knowledge claim — not yet pinned to a single primary source
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Official regulatory databases
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References
- 文部科学省 (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) Standard Tables of Food Composition — ほうじ茶 浸出液 (16040)
- JAS Standard for green tea (緑茶の日本農林規格)
- Editorial — hojicha latte and modern confectionery trend reference
Last updated: 2026-04-28. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.