What does USDA Certified Organic actually mean?

All of our farms are 100% organic certified, which means we regularly test for heavy metals and harmful chemicals. We'll never use pesticides or synthetic, chemical fertilizer on our Japanese matcha farm. We use centuries-old traditions for growing, and rely on the natural ecosystem to produce healthy, hearty tea leaves, which are shade-grown and hand-picked.

From where is your matcha sourced?

All of our matcha comes from our two farms, located in the hills of Uji, Japan. All of our matcha powder is shade grown and stone ground, for optimum flavor and health benefits.

What are the differences between the three grades?

In brief, Ceremonial Grade Encha is ground from premium, first harvest leaves, which are the most tender. The taste is delicate and smooth and best enjoyed mixed with water. Latte Grade Encha is ground from standard, first harvest leaves, picked each spring. When prepared just with hot water. Latte Grade can taste more bitter. That taste profile makes it suitable to balance with the milk of your choice. Culinary Grade is ground from premium, second harvest leaves and is best for cooking and baking.

How does matcha differ from green tea?

Matcha leaves are shade grown, which produces more theanine than green tea. Theanine offers a sense of serenity to balance the caffeine. Secondly, when making matcha powder, we remove the stems, creating a softer flavor. And lastly, when consuming matcha you're consuming the whole leaf rather than a steeped tea, which provides additional health benefits, like antioxidants.