Importing matcha from Japan is not technically difficult, but it involves more parties than most buyers expect: growers, tencha factories, mills, wholesalers, packers, a forwarder, a customs broker and your own importer of record. Projects rarely fail on price. They stall because a step was skipped or a question was never asked in writing.
This guide walks through the sequence a first business import usually follows and the decision you need to make at each step.
01 · Define the brief
Start with the product, not the supplier
Before contacting anyone in Japan, write a one-page brief. Japanese suppliers respond far better to a specific request than to “please send your price list”.
- Intended use: drinking, lattes, food or beverage manufacturing, retail tins
- Target sensory profile: color, bitterness, sweetness, aroma
- First order and expected annual volume, in kilograms
- Packaging: bulk bags, 100 g pouches, tins, private label
- Destination market and required documents (organic, COA, allergen statements)
- Target price range and decision date
If you are still deciding between a beverage-focused product and a premium drinking product, our note on choosing matcha for lattes versus retail tins will help you split the brief.
02 · Find suppliers
Identify the right kind of supplier
Matcha reaches you through several supplier types: farms that also mill, tencha factories, specialist mills, regional wholesalers and trading companies. Each has different minimums, English capability and documentation habits. We compare them in tea farm, factory or trading company.
For a first import, aim for a shortlist of three to five candidates who can realistically supply your volume, rather than a long list of famous names. Confirm early whether the supplier already exports to your country, because a supplier with existing export documentation removes weeks of work.
03 · Samples
Request and evaluate samples properly
Ask for samples that match the product you intend to buy, not the supplier’s showcase grade. Request the specification with the sample: harvest year, region, cultivar or blend, particle size if available and shelf life. Evaluate every sample the same way, in your own recipe, on the same day. Our sample evaluation protocol sets this out in detail.
Suppliers remember buyers who give structured feedback within two weeks. Long silences after samples are the most common reason a promising supplier moves on.
04 · Quotes and terms
Get quotes on the same basis
Ask each shortlisted supplier for pricing at two or three realistic volumes, the minimum order quantity, packaging, lead time, payment terms and the delivery basis (Incoterm). Quotes that arrive as a single price per kilogram hide most of the differences between suppliers; see how to compare matcha wholesale quotes for a comparison sheet.
| Confirm in writing | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Quote validity date | Matcha prices have moved quickly since 2024 |
| Volume behind the price | Sample pricing is not wholesale pricing |
| Lead time from order to shipment | Includes milling schedule and packaging |
| Payment schedule and currency | Deposits are common for first orders |
| Incoterm | Decides who books freight and pays duty |
05 · Documents
Line up documents before you order
Your customs broker and, for food, your local food authority will need documents from the supplier. Typical requests are a specification sheet, a certificate of analysis for the lot, an ingredient and allergen statement, country-of-origin confirmation and, if claimed, organic certificates recognised in your market. What each destination requires differs, so confirm the list with your broker before the order is placed. Matcha supplier documents explains what each document actually proves.
06 · Freight and customs
Choose freight, then clear customs
Small first orders usually travel by air; larger, repeat orders by sea. The choice affects packaging, transit temperature and cash flow, covered in air versus sea freight for matcha. Appoint a customs broker in your country early and give them the supplier’s documents in advance. Duty rates and any registration requirements (for example, importer registration for food products in some markets) are set by the destination, not by the supplier.
07 · Order and repeat
Place a first order that can be repeated
Treat the first order as the template for the relationship: agree the specification, the lot approval process, how price reviews will work and how you will forecast repeat orders. Buyers who document this once rarely need to renegotiate every shipment.
- Written order confirmation with product, quantity, price, pack and Incoterm
- Agreed lot approval: sample from the production lot before shipment, or on arrival
- Reorder lead time and forecast expectations
- Named contact on both sides for issues
If you would rather have a Japan-based team run this sequence with the suppliers, that is exactly what our procurement service does.
08 · FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an import licence to import matcha?
Matcha is a food product, so most markets require the importer to be registered with the food authority and to meet labeling and safety rules, rather than to hold a specific licence. Requirements differ by country; your customs broker or food authority can confirm what applies to a tea powder before you order.
How long does a first matcha import take from first contact to delivery?
With a clear brief, samples, a decision, production and air freight, many first imports take a couple of months; retail packaging or organic paperwork adds time. Projects that wait for a decision after samples, or that start after the first harvest is allocated, take longer.
Can I import matcha without visiting Japan?
Yes. Most first imports are completed by email, samples and video calls. Visits become valuable once you are choosing between finalists or planning a private label line, and can be arranged later; see our supplier visit programme.
Japan-side support
Want the Japan side of your import handled for you?
Tell us what you plan to make, where it will be sold and how much you expect to buy. We contact suppliers in Japanese, verify the terms and coordinate samples and the first order.
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