Matcha (Powdered Green Tea)

Matcha is produced from tencha (碾茶) leaves — Camellia sinensis cultivars (Yabukita, Samidori, Okumidori, etc.) grown under canvas or reed shading for 20–30 days before harvest. Shading triggers chlorophyll concentration and theanine accumulation while suppressing catechin synthesis. Harvested leaves are steamed, dried (without rolling), de-veined, and stone-ground at low speed (40g/hour per stone) into 5–10 micron powder.

Grades differ by leaf source and processing precision. Ceremonial-grade matcha uses first-flush spring leaves from premium origins (especially Uji-Kyoto or Nishio-Aichi), with the finest stone-grinding — vivid emerald green, intensely umami, no bitterness. Culinary-grade matcha uses later harvests or non-premium origins with less intensive grinding — duller green, more astringent, suitable for blending into ice cream, baked goods, lattes.

Industrially, matcha is supplied across format categories: 30g–100g cans for ceremonial use, 500g–1kg foil pouches for confectionery and foodservice OEM, and bulk drums for industrial flavoring/coloring use. Premium origins (Uji, Nishio) command 3–10× the price of standard culinary grade. Domestic Japanese matcha commands a significant premium over Chinese-cultivated equivalents in export markets.

Ceremonial tea preparation (chanoyu) — whisking 2g matcha into hot water with a bamboo whisk for koicha (thick) or usucha (thin) preparations.

Premium retail beverages — matcha latte (matcha + steamed milk), iced matcha, matcha smoothies, matcha frappuccino-style blended drinks, and matcha-flavored bottled RTD beverages.

Confectionery and pastry — matcha ice cream (the volume export category), matcha chocolates, matcha-flavored Kit-Kat (a major export-tourism driver), matcha cookies, matcha cakes, matcha tiramisu, and traditional Japanese sweets like matcha namaichigo and matcha mochi.

Functional foods and supplements — matcha smoothie powders, matcha collagen drinks, matcha capsules (for catechin/EGCG content), and matcha-based beauty drinks.

For OEM: ceremonial matcha (gift and tea-house supply), culinary matcha for confectionery brands (the volume category), matcha latte powder blends with milk and sugar pre-mixed, matcha-flavored RTD beverage formulations, and matcha-based supplement and beauty drink ingredients.

JAS Standard for green tea (緑茶の日本農林規格) defines tea categories; matcha grading is by industry convention.

GI protection: 'Uji-cha' (Kyoto) and 'Nishio-cha' (Aichi) are protected origin designations with verifiable raw-material requirements.

Allergens: matcha itself contains no major declared allergens. Allergens come from blended ingredients (milk, soy, etc.) in finished products.

Caffeine: matcha is high in caffeine (typically 30mg/g, vs. ~15mg/g for steeped sencha) — consumers expecting low-caffeine tea should be informed.