PRODUCTION + PROCESS

Stone-ground with care and precision for consistent quality and sustained lift.

FOLLOW YOUR MATCHA

  • SHADE-GROWN

    Our farm region near the Japanese Alps is almost entirely covered by forests and mountains.  We progressively shade our crop at 70 - 95% shade prior to harvest. 

  • FIRST HARVEST

    The first tea harvest of the year is considered the best quality because the tea plants are full of vital compounds stored over the course of winter.

  • STEAMING

    A dim sum table with a bamboo steamer in the middle reveals a 100 gram pouch of matcha when the lid is removed.
    The leaves are gently steamed to prevent oxidation and to ensure they retain their abundance of amino acids, nutrients, vibrant color and exceptional taste.

  • AIR-DRIED

    After steaming, the leaves are gently air-dried.

  • GRADING AND PROCESSING INTO TENCHA

    The leaves are then sorted by grade, de-stemmed and deveined.  Only the leaves that make it through this rigorous process become our Tencha.

  • COLD STORAGE

    Tencha is moved into cold storage, where it is then stone-milled into the finest matcha powder.

  • STONE-MILLED

    Stone-milling preserves and produces the finest powder and is a labor intensive process.

  • FSC22000 CERTIFIED

    Our tea is documented to surpass organic and ISO22000 certification standards.

  • SOMMELIER STAMP OF APPROVAL

    A beautiful and vibrantly green matcha tower sits in the middle of a dim sum table and one of two pals sips on the tower while the other one makes a cool hand gesture.
    Lastly, our tea sommeliers step in - they are the final step to ensuring the highest quality matcha is also the best tasting matcha.

QUALITY TEST AT HOME

Matcha Dive's Sommeliers ensure our finished green goods go above and beyond hitting the mark. To try at home, great matcha can be evaluated on the following key characteristics:

  • Vibrant color intensity
  • Umami flavor
  • Superior terroir (the unique conditions and farming practices of growth habitat)
  • Finest grind size and consistency
  • Frothability
  • Delicious crema with a long-lasting finish that lingers on the tongue
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