Japan Ingredient Sourcing
Raw material / 原材料Beverage ingredients

Hojicha (Roasted Green Tea)

焙じ茶 (Hōjicha)

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Why source from Japan

Hojicha is a Japanese green tea that has been roasted at high temperature, producing a distinctive toasty, low-astringency, low-caffeine beverage.

Key spec

MOQ from 20–100 kg (powder); 50–200 kg (loose).

Typical end-product

Hojicha latte premixes and café syrups — Low-caffeine alternative to matcha latte for café chains and direct-to-consumer specialty beverage SKUs.

At a glance

Suppliers listed
6 suppliers
Typical MOQ
20–100 kg (powder); 50–200 kg (loose)
Typical lead time
3–6 weeks
Regions of origin
Kyoto (Uji, Wazuka), Shizuoka, Nationwide
Category
Beverage ingredients
Harvest season
Continuous (roasted from late-harvest / stem tea)
Japan regulatory status
Food Sanitation Act
Japanese name
焙じ茶
Romaji
Hōjicha

About this ingredient

Hojicha is a Japanese green tea that has been roasted at high temperature, producing a distinctive toasty, low-astringency, low-caffeine beverage. The powdered form is used in ice cream, baked goods, specialty lattes, and confectionery. Export demand has grown as a caffeine-lower alternative to matcha.

Regulatory status

JapanFood Sanitation Act
EUFood import
United StatesGenerally recognized as food
ChinaVerify

FAQ for OEM buyers

Q. What is the typical MOQ and lead time for hojicha powder?

Industry-typical MOQ is 20–100 kg for powder and 50–200 kg for loose / leaf product, with 3–6 week lead times. Roasting profile (light vs. dark roast) and milled-particle target (fine powder for latte vs. coarse for steeping) are commonly customizable on standard SKUs. Single-origin (Uji / Wazuka) commands a premium versus mixed-origin nationwide blends.

Sources · Last reviewed: 2026-04-26

Industry-knowledge claim — not yet pinned to a single primary source

Q. Which regions are notable hojicha sources?

Hojicha is roasted nationwide, but Kyoto (Uji, Wazuka) is the heritage source associated with high-end specialty hojicha (often roasted from kuki-bancha stems). Shizuoka and Kagoshima are large-volume sources for industrial powder. Ishikawa Prefecture's 'kaga-bocha' (Kaga stick-tea, roasted kuki-bancha) is a well-known regional variant.

Sources · Last reviewed: 2026-04-26

Q. What COA parameters and certifications should I request?

Standard COA: moisture, particle size distribution (for powder), color value (roast indicator), microbiological limits, heavy metals, pesticide residues against EU MRL list, radionuclide test (Cs-134/Cs-137) as documentation comfort, and acrylamide testing if requested (a Maillard byproduct of roasting; tea is generally low-risk but high-roast products warrant verification). JAS Organic and Rainforest Alliance certifications are available from major suppliers.

Sources · Last reviewed: 2026-04-26

Q. What packaging and storage spec should I use for hojicha powder export?

Hojicha powder is hygroscopic and aroma-volatile, so request: nitrogen-flushed multi-layer foil bags (1–10 kg), inner aluminum-laminate bags, light-protective outer packaging, and shelf life specified with maximum cumulative temperature exposure. Once opened, recommended practice is refrigerated storage; unopened sealed shelf life is typically 12–18 months at room temperature.

Sources · Last reviewed: 2026-04-26

Industry-knowledge claim — not yet pinned to a single primary source

Use cases

  • Hojicha latte premixes and café syrups

    Positioning
    Low-caffeine alternative to matcha latte for café chains and direct-to-consumer specialty beverage SKUs.
    Typical usage level
    5–10 g hojicha powder per 200 mL latte, or 5–8% in syrup base.
    Formulation notes
    Combine with a small amount of skim-milk powder or oat milk powder for instant solubility; the roasted aromatics survive low-temperature reconstitution well.

    Sources

    Industry-knowledge claim — not yet pinned to a single primary source

  • Hojicha ice cream and gelato

    Positioning
    Premium 'Japanese roasted tea' flavor for premium ice cream, gelato, and frozen desserts.
    Typical usage level
    1.5–3% hojicha powder on the white mix.
    Formulation notes
    Powder disperses cleanly into the ice cream mix; pair with a hint of brown sugar or kuromitsu to lift the roasted notes.

    Sources

    Industry-knowledge claim — not yet pinned to a single primary source

  • Hojicha-flavored confectionery (chocolate, cookies, financiers)

    Positioning
    Roasted-tea premium flavor SKU within Japanese-fusion patisserie ranges.
    Typical usage level
    2–5% hojicha powder on the dough or chocolate base.

    Sources

    Industry-knowledge claim — not yet pinned to a single primary source

  • Caffeine-conscious daily-drinking tea bag SKUs

    Positioning
    'Low caffeine, evening tea' positioning in pyramid tea bags or stick-pack RTD powders for adult and family use.

    Sources

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Last updated: 2026-04-24

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