Matcha Wholesale from Japan: What to Ask Your Supplier

Hello from ICHIZEN. If you are looking for a matcha wholesale supplier in Japan, knowing what to include in your first email can feel like the first hurdle. Start with your destination country, intended use, and estimated quantity, then work through samples, pricing, and import requirements together.

What will you use your matcha for?

A price list or a photograph of the powder can only tell you so much. Matcha served with water, blended into a latte, or used in baking needs to be assessed in the context of the finished product.

Are you hoping to highlight the aroma of matcha on its own, or looking for a flavor that fits your milk-based menu? Explaining the drink or product you want to create gives your supplier a more useful starting point than asking for their “best matcha.”

Understand who selects and prepares your matcha

ICHIZEN is a matcha brand from Uji, Kyoto. Its matcha is selected and finished by Wakimoto Jokoen, a fourth-generation green-tea wholesaler in Ide-cho, Kyoto. Wakimoto Jokoen has tea-judging skill ranked under the national tea appraisal dan/kyu system.

Our matcha is machine-milled into an fine, uniform powder. Knowing the growing origin and who selects and finishes the tea helps you understand your supplier, but suitability for your own recipe is something to assess separately.

What should you include in your first inquiry?

You do not need a fully finalized purchasing plan. Share what you know, and clearly mark anything that is still an estimate.

• Your business name, business type, and sales and delivery countries
• Your intended use, such as café drinks, baking, or resale, and preferred flavor profile
• Your estimated first order and potential repeat requirements
• Preferred packaging, delivery timing, and an indicative budget
• Questions about samples, required documents, or own-brand plans

If quantities are uncertain, a little context helps: perhaps you are testing recipes before opening, or considering a rollout across several cafés. Keep confirmed needs separate from future forecasts. You can share your plans through our wholesale inquiry page.

Assess samples in the way you plan to use them

Check sample arrangements first

Ask whether samples are available, what quantities they contain, and what costs, shipping charges, and dispatch timing apply. Sample availability does not by itself confirm that a later order can be supplied in your preferred quantity or timeframe.

Keep your comparison consistent

Use the same amount of matcha, water or milk, sweetener, and preparation method when comparing options. Look beyond the dry powder’s color to aroma, umami, bitterness, astringency, and the finish of the prepared drink.

For a café, test the recipe you intend to serve, not just a tasting portion prepared differently. Our guide to wholesale matcha for cafés offers another starting point for your evaluation.

Are you comparing quantities and prices on equal terms?

Ask about the minimum order quantity, order increments, pack sizes, and the conditions attached to quoted prices. Your requested volume needs individual confirmation. If you expect to reorder, discuss lead times and anticipated supply as well.

It is easy to compare product prices while overlooking the cost of getting the matcha to your business. Before ordering, clarify whether freight and import-related costs are included, along with the payment currency, payment method, and quote validity.

Confirm export and import requirements for your country

Being able to dispatch a product from Japan is not the same as confirming that it can be imported and sold in your market. Required documents, food regulations, labeling rules, and duties need to be checked for the destination country and the agreed transaction terms.

As the importer, establish what your market requires, then ask the supplier which documents and information they can provide. Where needed, check with the relevant local authorities or a customs broker. Agree who handles each step and who pays the associated costs before placing an order.

What if you want private-label or OEM matcha?

If you plan to sell under your own brand, explain more than the matcha itself. Share your expectations for bags or tins, labels, filling, and responsibility for checking product information.

Private-label and OEM availability, quantities, costs, and lead times are matters for individual discussion. Do not assume that standard wholesale arrangements also apply to a custom project.

Your first inquiry does not have to be a finished purchase order. Start with your intended use, destination, and preferred format, then make decisions as the practical details become clear.

FAQ

Should I check growing origin and packing location separately?

Growing origin describes where the tea leaves were grown; it is separate from the packing location. When preparing product information for your market, ask the supplier to confirm the growing origin separately from processing and packaging details.

How should I ask about organic or other certifications?

Provide the exact certification name, destination country, intended recipient, and required documents in your inquiry. This guide does not confirm that ICHIZEN holds a particular certification or can issue a requested certificate. Confirm availability before proceeding with labeling or sales plans.

How can I compare the matcha cost per serving?

Convert prices to the same weight unit, then calculate the cost using the amount of matcha in each serving. Be consistent about whether freight and import-related costs are included. Keep milk, other ingredients, and packaging costs separate from the matcha cost to make comparisons clearer.