Matcha (pronounced "MAT-cha") is finely ground, shade-grown Japanese green tea – and for years one of the most stable food trends worldwide. Where does the vibrant green powder come from, how is it made, what separates ceremonial from culinary grade, what does it taste like and how do you prepare it? This guide answers the key questions – compact and with a view to retail and foodservice.
Contents
- What is matcha? The short answer
- How do you pronounce matcha?
- Origin & history
- Production: shading, tencha, stone mill
- Why is matcha so vibrantly green?
- What does matcha taste like?
- Ceremonial vs. culinary grade
- Matcha vs. green tea
- Preparation: usucha, koicha, latte
- Caffeine content of matcha
- How is matcha used?
- Matcha in retail: product range & Mytcha
- Frequently asked questions
What is matcha? The short answer
Matcha is powdered green tea from Japan. Unlike loose tea, here the whole tea leaf is consumed. The tea plant Camellia sinensis is shaded for several weeks before harvest. The harvested leaves are steamed, dried and stripped of stems and veins – in this state they are called tencha. Stone mills then slowly grind the tencha into an extremely fine, vibrant green powder.
The most important growing regions are in Japan – above all Uji near Kyoto and Nishio in Aichi Prefecture. It is precisely this production – shading, tencha, stone grinding – that distinguishes matcha from simple green tea powder.
How do you pronounce matcha?
Matcha is pronounced "MAT-cha" – with a short, hard "t" and a "cha" as in "chai". The Japanese word 抹茶 (maccha) literally means "ground tea". The often-heard pronunciation "MAH-sha" with a drawn-out "sh" is wrong. So anyone ordering a "MAT-cha latte" in a cafe is spot on.
Origin & history
The roots of matcha go back more than 800 years. Powdered green tea originally came from China to Japan, where Zen monks prepared and drank it in their monasteries. From this tradition the Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu) developed – a highly ritualised preparation and drinking of matcha that remains closely linked to Zen Buddhism to this day.
Today most Japanese matcha comes from Uji (Kyoto Prefecture) and Nishio (Aichi Prefecture); further growing regions include Shizuoka and Kagoshima. While matcha was part of everyday culture in Japan for centuries, the worldwide boom only began in the 21st century: matcha latte, matcha ice cream and matcha baked goods turned the green tea into a global food trend that continues today.
Production: shading, tencha, stone mill
What sets matcha apart from other green teas is above all how it is made. Production runs in three stages:
- Shading: around three to four weeks before harvest, the tea bushes are covered with mats or nets. In low light the plant forms more chlorophyll and retains more amino acids such as L-theanine – this shapes the deep green colour and the umami flavour.
- Tencha: mainly the young leaves of the first spring harvest are picked. They are briefly steamed to prevent oxidation and then dried without rolling – unlike sencha. Stems and veins are then removed. The result, flat dried leaf pieces, is called tencha and is the raw material for matcha.
- Stone mill: traditionally, tencha is ground on slowly turning granite stone mills. One mill produces only a few dozen grams per hour; slow grinding keeps frictional heat low and yields a very fine powder. Lower grades are also ground in ball or jet mills.
Because freshly ground matcha is sensitive to light, air and heat, it is usually packed in light-proof, airtight tins or pouches and should be stored cool and dry after opening.
Why is matcha so vibrantly green?
The intense green colour of matcha comes from chlorophyll. Because the tea plant is shaded before harvest, it forms especially large amounts of chlorophyll – the leaf turns deep green. The brighter and richer the green of the powder, the higher the quality tends to be.
Important: this colour is 100% natural – no dye. A dull, yellowish or brownish green, on the other hand, indicates basic or old product. It is precisely this natural luminous colour that makes matcha so popular on Instagram and TikTok.
What does matcha taste like?
The taste of matcha is best described as grassy, vegetal and umami – with a slightly sweet finish. "Umami" is the savoury, rounded base taste that gives matcha its characteristic depth and sets it apart from ordinary green tea.
How pronounced the bitterness is depends heavily on quality: high-quality ceremonial grade matcha tastes creamy-mild, almost velvety and barely bitter. Cheaper culinary grade is stronger, more astringent and sometimes slightly drying – ideal for holding its own against milk, sugar or chocolate. In contrast to the mild, vanilla-sweet ube, matcha does polarise somewhat with its astringent note – but that is exactly what its fans appreciate.
Ceremonial vs. culinary grade
Matcha comes in different quality levels. The two terms you keep reading when buying are ceremonial grade and culinary grade. They are trade terms – neither is legally defined, and the classification is set by each supplier.
| Feature | Ceremonial Grade | Culinary Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | young leaves of the first harvest | later harvests, older leaves |
| Grinding | mostly stone mill, very fine | stone, ball or jet mill |
| Taste | creamy, mild, barely bitter | strong, more astringent |
| Colour | vibrant, rich green | somewhat duller, olive green |
| Preparation | pure with water | latte, baking, ice cream, chocolate |
| Price | higher | lower |
In short: ceremonial grade is intended for pure enjoyment, culinary grade for processing. For a matcha latte or matcha chocolate, culinary grade is perfectly sufficient – it retains its taste even alongside milk and sugar.
Matcha vs. green tea – the difference
Matcha is green tea – but in a special form. The decisive difference lies in processing and preparation:
- Infused green tea (e.g. sencha): the rolled leaves steep in water and are then removed – you drink only the infusion.
- Matcha: the whole, finely ground leaf is whisked into water and consumed.
Because with matcha the entire leaf ends up in the drink, taste, colour and caffeine per cup are significantly more intense. Added to this is the shading of the tea plants, which produces the deep green and the pronounced umami flavour – a step most other green teas do not undergo.
Preparation: usucha, koicha, latte
For the classic preparation you need a bowl (chawan), a bamboo scoop (chashaku) and a bamboo whisk (chasen). Use water that is not boiling but slightly cooled – water that is too hot emphasises the bitterness.
- Usucha (thin matcha): sift 1–2 g of powder (about 1–2 chashaku) into the bowl, add 60–80 ml of water at 70–80 °C and whisk briskly with the chasen in an M or W motion until a fine froth forms.
- Koicha (thick matcha): knead roughly twice the amount of powder with only 30–40 ml of water into a thick paste – traditionally with ceremonial grade.
- Matcha latte: whisk matcha with a little hot water and top up with frothed milk or a plant-based drink. Explained step by step in the guide how to make a matcha latte.
Caffeine content of matcha
Matcha contains caffeine. Because the whole ground leaf ends up in the drink, the content per cup is usually higher than in infused green tea. How much exactly varies considerably with cultivation, harvest and processing: a review reports 18.9 to 44.4 mg of caffeine per gram of powder for the matcha samples examined.1
With a typical usucha serving of 1 to 2 g of powder, that works out at roughly 19 to 89 mg of caffeine per bowl. For a specific product, the manufacturer's declaration is what counts; in processed products such as matcha chocolate, the content depends on the matcha share in the recipe.
1 Source: Kochman J., Jakubczyk K., Antoniewicz J., Mruk H., Janda K.: Molecules 2021, 26(1), 85. doi:10.3390/molecules26010085
How is matcha used?
Matcha is astonishingly versatile – traditionally pure, in countless modern applications:
- Matcha latte – probably the most popular matcha drink in cafes and coffee shops
- Pure (usucha/koicha) – whisked with water, classic in the tea ceremony
- Baking – matcha cookies, cakes, crinkles and muffins
- Matcha ice cream – one of the best-known matcha desserts worldwide
- Matcha chocolate – the astringent note pairs wonderfully with white chocolate
- Smoothies & bowls – as a green ingredient for colour and flavour
You will find more ideas and instructions in our guide matcha recipes: latte, baking & more.
Matcha in retail: product range & Mytcha
In retail, matcha appears today in three forms:
- Matcha powder: from specialist tea retailers, well-stocked supermarkets and online – check origin (Japan), harvest and quality grade
- Ingredient for foodservice and bakery: culinary grade in bulk packs for lattes, baked goods and ice cream
- Finished matcha products: chocolate, cookies, bars and drinks – a segment driven by the ongoing trend and can be listed without any preparation effort
Mytcha: matcha chocolate as a VOVAN own brand
Are you a buyer in grocery retail, foodservice or convenience and want to add matcha to your range? With its own brand Mytcha, VOVAN Global offers matcha chocolate in seven varieties in B2B wholesale for the DACH region and the EU – a ready-to-shelve product instead of a powder that needs explaining. Varieties, packaging and terms are on the Mytcha brand page.
Matcha vs. ube – the green and the purple trend duo
While matcha is green, astringent and caffeinated, ube – the purple yam from the Philippines – is its purple trend relative: mild-sweet, vanilla-like and caffeine-free. Both are natural-colour stars and together drive the food trend forward. To see where the similarities and differences lie for range planning and buying, read the main article ube vs. matcha.
Frequently asked questions about matcha
What is matcha?
Matcha is finely ground Japanese green tea. The tea plant (Camellia sinensis) is shaded for several weeks before harvest; the leaves are steamed, dried, stripped of stems and veins (then called tencha) and stone-ground into a fine powder. Unlike infused tea, the whole ground leaf is consumed.
How is matcha made?
In three steps: shading the tea bushes for around three to four weeks before harvest, processing the leaves into tencha (steaming, drying without rolling, removing stems and veins) and slowly grinding on granite stone mills, which produce only a few dozen grams of powder per hour.
What does matcha taste like?
Grassy and vegetal with a pronounced umami note and a slightly sweet finish. Ceremonial grade tastes creamy-mild and barely bitter, culinary grade stronger and more astringent – which is why it holds its own against milk, sugar or chocolate.
How much caffeine does matcha contain?
Caffeine content varies considerably between samples: a review (Kochman et al., Molecules 2021, doi:10.3390/molecules26010085) reports 18.9 to 44.4 mg of caffeine per gram of matcha powder. With 1 to 2 g of powder per bowl, that works out at roughly 19 to 89 mg. The figure stated on the specific product is what counts.
What is the difference between matcha and green tea?
With infused green tea, the leaves are removed after steeping and you drink only the infusion. With matcha, the whole finely ground leaf is whisked into water and consumed. In addition, shading before harvest and processing into tencha shape its colour and umami flavour.
What does ceremonial grade mean?
Ceremonial grade is a trade term for high-quality matcha from young leaves of the first harvest: particularly finely ground, vibrant green and mild – intended for pure preparation with water. Culinary grade is stronger and more astringent and is used for lattes, baked goods, ice cream and chocolate. Neither term is legally defined.
How do you prepare matcha?
For thin matcha (usucha), sift 1 to 2 g of powder into a bowl, add 60 to 80 ml of water at 70 to 80 °C and whisk briskly with a bamboo whisk (chasen) in an M or W motion until frothy. For a matcha latte, top the whisked matcha with frothed milk.
Where can retailers source matcha products?
Matcha powder is available from specialist tea retailers, well-stocked supermarkets and online. For buyers in grocery retail, foodservice and convenience, VOVAN Global offers matcha chocolate in seven varieties under its own brand Mytcha in B2B wholesale.
For retailers and food service: samples and trade terms are available on request – just send us a short message via the contact form (subject "Request a sample kit").
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