What Is Matcha?

How Matcha Is Made (From Leaf to Powder)

Matcha is made using a careful, traditional process that brings out its signature colour, flavour, and fine texture. Here’s a simple overview of how it goes from tea plant to the bright green powder in your tin.

1) Shading the tea plants

In spring, several weeks before harvest, experienced tea farmers shade the tea plants using bamboo mats or opaque covers. This gradually reduces the amount of sunlight reaching the leaves and helps create the rich, deep green colour matcha is known for.

2) Harvesting the leaves

The youngest, upper leaves are typically picked first. After harvesting, the leaves are steamed to preserve their fresh character, then air-dried.

Next, the dried leaves are sorted and refined by removing stems and veins. At this stage, the tea is called tencha the raw material used to make matcha.

3) Grinding into matcha

Tencha is then ground into a very fine powder.

High-quality matcha is traditionally stone-ground, which is a slower method that produces an ultra-fine texture and a smooth mouthfeel. Lower-grade matcha is often milled more quickly using industrial methods.

All of our matcha is stone-ground and selected for a clean taste and smooth finish.