Most matcha sourcing guides are written for café owners. This one is for food manufacturers, RTD brands, co-packers, and procurement teams who need particle size specs, color values, microbial limits, and FSVP documentation — not a tasting note.
Why manufacturer matcha sourcing is different
A café buying 5kg needs it to taste good and dissolve in milk. A manufacturer buying 500kg needs it to perform consistently across batches, pass QA at goods receipt, comply with their customer’s ingredient spec, and survive their production process (high-shear mixing, pasteurization, spray drying, baking). The specs that matter for a café are necessary but insufficient for manufacturing procurement.
Grade selection for manufacturing applications
Culinary / ingredient grade (40–80 mesh)
Standard for most food and beverage manufacturing. Coarser particle size, better dispersibility, more robust flavor. Best for: RTD beverages, protein powders, smoothie blends, ice cream mixes, baked goods, snack coatings, instant sachets.
Premium culinary grade (60–100 mesh)
Finer particle, better color performance, higher amino acid content. Use when matcha is the primary flavor driver and color consistency is important. Best for: premium RTD matcha beverages, matcha chocolate, high-end confectionery, concentrates.
Ingredient / processing grade
Lower cost, for applications where color and flavor intensity are less critical. Not recommended if visible green is a requirement.
Key specs to include in your RFQ
- Particle size: specify mesh (e.g., 60 mesh) or microns (d50 and d90). A supplier who can’t tell you particle size distribution is not manufacturing to spec.
- Color values (L* a* b*): high negative a* = bright green, low b* = less yellow. Must be stable lot-to-lot. If a supplier can’t provide color values, they can’t guarantee color consistency.
- Moisture: ≤ 5.0%. Higher moisture accelerates oxidation. Request nitrogen-flushed or oxygen-barrier packaging for bulk orders.
- Microbial limits: specify APC, Coliform, E. coli, Salmonella (per 25g), yeast and mold.
- Heavy metals and pesticide residues: lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, pesticide residues to EU MRL or Japanese standards. Ask for the actual COA from a recent lot — not a template.
FSVP compliance for matcha from Japan
FSVP requires U.S. importers to verify their Japanese supplier operates with food safety controls equivalent to FDA preventive controls. In practice: supplier needs BRCGS Grade A, FSSC 22000, or SQF certification. Yuminaga holds both BRCGS Grade A and FSSC 22000. Full FSVP documentation packages provided on request. See our FSSC 22000 guide.
Application table
| Application | Recommended grade | Key spec priority |
|---|---|---|
| RTD matcha beverages | Premium culinary / 60–80 mesh | Color consistency, dispersibility |
| Protein powders / supplements | Culinary / 40–80 mesh | Particle size, microbial limits |
| Ice cream / frozen desserts | Premium culinary | Color values, fat compatibility |
| Baked goods | Culinary / ingredient grade | Heat stability, moisture |
| Confectionery / chocolate | Premium culinary | Color, flavor intensity |
| Snack seasonings | Culinary / ingredient grade | Particle size, flowability |
| Instant sachets | Premium culinary / 80+ mesh | Dispersibility, color, shelf life |
6 questions to ask your matcha supplier
- Can you provide a full COA from your most recent lot — not an example COA?
- What is the exact particle size distribution (d50, d90) for this grade?
- What are the L* a* b* color values and what is your lot-to-lot tolerance?
- Do you hold BRCGS Grade A or FSSC 22000 certification? Can you provide your current certificate?
- Do you have confirmed allocation for this grade through the next 6 months, or are you purchasing on the spot market?
- Can you provide FSVP documentation for our compliance team?
If a supplier can’t answer 1–4 with documentation, they are likely a trading company, not a manufacturer. Given current supply constraints, that distinction matters.
What Yuminaga supplies
30+ years Japanese manufacturer. Culinary and premium culinary grades from Kagoshima and Shizuoka — see our Shizuoka & Kagoshima matcha guide. Full COA, BRCGS Grade A + FSSC 22000, FSVP documentation packages. No minimum order to start. Full sample and COA package before you commit to production volume.