Why is matcha so expensive

The main reason why it is cheaper is that while ceremony grade matcha is only made from the very first harvest, a culinary grade is made from subsequent harvests. Read more in our article about koicha - thick matcha. While it is possible to find matcha even cheaper than that, we do not recommend purchasing it. Low-quality matcha is characterized by a dull color and a bitter, lifeless taste. An important thing to remember when comparing the price of matcha to other tea types is that while the cost of matcha is more expensive per gram, we also use much less of it per cup.

However, for a serving of matcha we only need 1 gram of powder versus the 6 grams we need for gyokuro or many other loose leaf teas. To learn about matcha, including recipes, history, and more, check out or "matcha" tag! Log in Sign up. That powder is blended into your hot water, not merely steeped. Matcha is grown in Japan. And while there are varieties on the market that are grown in China or that do not specify where it was grown, these probably aren't the ones you want to purchase if you are looking for the "real deal" matcha experience.

Traditional, true matcha, is grown in Japan and will likely be transparent about this on the packaging. So be sure to do a little label reading before you make your purchase. There are two main quality grades for matcha: ceremonial grade and culinary grade.

Ceremonial grade is top quality that is brighter green and should not have bitter or harsh notes in its flavor. This grade is used for drinking green matcha tea, made with hot water, matcha, and a bamboo whisk that's what makes it nice and frothy. It takes approximately one hour to produce about 40 grams of matcha powder. This is to ensure that the powder is not burned and therefore does not lose its nutritional benefits and beautiful green colour.

In summary, matcha is more expensive than regular green tea because it requires significantly more work to get it from the farm, to you, the customer. It is because of this meticulous process that matcha retains percent of its healthy nutrients, including vitamins A, E, beta-carotene, and an enhanced caffeinated calmness through the presence of L-Theanine. The result of this procedure is a vibrant green powder that mixes into hot water to create a delicious and nutrient dense drink.

Be careful when shopping for matcha, because a cheaper price tag may not mean that you are getting a good deal on authentic Japanese matcha. A lot of cheaper substitutes are Chinese matcha.

The tea coming from China is not generally shade grown and is pan-fried with the veins still in the leaves instead of the traditional process described above. This results in a dull coloured tea that does not mix well into milk or water and is sandy in texture. In addition, Chinese matcha has come under a lot of scrutiny for its use of banned pesticides, whereas Japan abides by much stricter use of pesticides. Another reason your matcha might be cheaper is if it contains fillers or additives such as sugar or milk powder.

Prev Post. Next Post. Call Us: Mon-Fri: am - pm text3. This is an approximate conversion table to help you find your size. If you have already purchased an item by our brand, we recommend you select the same size as indicated on its label.

From Monday to Thursday your goods will be packed on the same day of your order. All goods ordered after 12pm will be dispatched the following day. All orders received after 12pm Thursday and on the weekend will be sent out the following Monday. We do this in order to make sure your order is super fresh! You can shop online and collect your goods at any one of our 7 store locations. What is Matcha?