Matcha is a finely-ground powder made from a green tea leaf called tencha. Tencha is shade-grown and dried in a series of precise steps. Learn more about our farming partners’ unique growing and processing techniques on our blog.

Our matcha leaves are grown on an organic tea farm in Kagoshima, Japan, but we occasionally offer Single Origin teas from other regions.

Yes, our farming partners are some of the only organic Japanese tea farms recognized by Japan Agricultural Standards of Organic Agricultural Practice (JAS) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Organic.

This is a tricky question. There is currently very little regulation or standardization of matcha, and anyone can call their matcha "ceremonial" or "culinary" — even in Japan. So while we avoid these labels, we do offer teas characteristic of those selected for a ceremony. We also believe high-quality tea should be used even for cooking. Read a more detailed explanation of this topic on our blog.

Matcha is grown and consumed differently than other green tea leaves. A major distinction is that matcha leaves are covered and grown in the shade for three weeks before harvest. This is to preserve L-theanine and to increase chlorophyll accumulation, resulting in umami-rich, brightly-colored matcha leaves. Matcha is also unique because it is ground instead of steeped.

Matcha provides a relaxed yet energetic focus, contains antioxidants and has a detoxifying effect due to its high fiber content. Read more on our health benefits page.

L-theanine is an amino acid found in matcha, which calms people down.

It helps regulate cortisol (a stress hormone) and moderates the body’s caffeine uptake. Since matcha contains both L-theanine and caffeine, it provides a mellow, longer-lasting boost of energy.

The caffeine content varies slightly, depending on the batch. Generally speaking, if you use a level one shot of matcha, your single serving beverage will have between 23 and 27 milligrams of caffeine.

For context, a shot of espresso contains around 70-80 milligrams and a cup of coffee contains around 200 milligrams per serving.

Unfortunately, yes. Tea quality is our first priority and we haven’t found a compostable bag that maintains that quality over time. Sustainability is important to us, and we hope to find a solution that doesn’t sacrifice the quality of our tea leaves.

Our matcha leaves are good until two years after production. In case you forget, you can find the expiration date on the back of the Matcha Leaf packet.

If you live in a dry environment, the hopper will keep matcha leaves fresh for about a month. The more humid your environment, the more quickly the leaves will lose freshness.

In a dry environment, you can store matcha leaves for about a month. If you tend to make level one shots, you can make 20 shots before refilling the hopper.

A level one shot of matcha costs around a dollar, depending on the blend, how much you buy at once and if you have a subscription. 

A matcha made with a level one shot, from a 20-gram packet of Cuzen Matcha Leaf will cost about $1.00 per serving using Signature Leaf, about $1.50 per serving using Premium Leaf and $0.85 a serving using Latte Blend. The price decreases if you purchase 60-gram packets or if you have a Matcha Leaf subscription.

It’s not a good idea to use other tea leaves in the Matcha Maker. Our leaves are selected and processed to work with the Matcha Maker. Using other leaves could clog or damage our mill, and any damages would not be covered by warranty.