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Clearspring: UK Organic Food House, Uji Matcha

Clearspring offers organic matcha from Uji in ceremonial and premium grades, traditionally processed for whisking, lattes, smoothies, and baking.
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Who is Clearspring?

Clearspring is a Japanese organic matcha brand sourcing tea from Uji, Japan. Its ceremonial and premium powders use shade-grown leaves and slow granite stone milling for whisking, drinks, and cooking.

Matcha comes from Nagata family, a third-generation artisan producer farming organic Uji land. Ichibancha leaf tips are hand-selected, steamed, dried into tencha, then ground at about 30 grams per hour to limit heat.

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Rated 4.44/5 by 16 reviews

Clearspring in details

Clearspring has spent over three decades building direct relationships with Japanese farmers to bring authentic organic matcha to Western kitchens. Founded in 1993 by Christopher Dawson, the brand emerged from a simple conviction: traditional Japanese foods deserve to be experienced in their purest form, without compromise.

Rooted in Uji’s Tea Heritage

The Uji region near Kyoto produces some of Japan’s most prized matcha, and Clearspring sources exclusively from this historic area. These tea gardens have perfected their craft over centuries, using shade-growing techniques that boost chlorophyll levels and create matcha’s distinctive umami flavor. By partnering directly with these producers, Clearspring ensures every batch meets rigorous quality standards.

The brand’s commitment to traditional stone-grinding methods sets their matcha apart. While industrial processing can generate heat that degrades flavor and nutrients, stone mills work slowly and gently, preserving the delicate compounds that make premium matcha exceptional.

Organic From Field to Cup

Organic certification isn’t just a label for Clearspring—it represents their founding philosophy. Every tea plant grows without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, following sustainable agricultural practices that protect soil health and biodiversity. This approach yields matcha with cleaner flavor profiles and peace of mind for health-conscious consumers.

The brand offers both ceremonial and culinary grades, recognizing that different uses demand different characteristics. Ceremonial grade matcha delivers the smooth, complex flavor ideal for traditional preparation, while culinary varieties provide robust taste that shines in lattes, smoothies, and baking.

Beyond a Single Product

While matcha remains a cornerstone offering, Clearspring’s expertise spans the full spectrum of Japanese pantry staples. This broader perspective informs their understanding of how matcha fits into both traditional tea ceremonies and modern culinary applications.

Three decades of experience have taught Clearspring what Western consumers value in Japanese foods:

  • Transparent sourcing with traceable origins
  • Authentic production methods that honor tradition
  • Consistent quality across every batch
  • Educational resources that deepen appreciation

For matcha enthusiasts seeking genuine Japanese quality backed by organic principles and time-tested relationships, Clearspring represents a reliable choice. Their approach balances respect for tradition with practical understanding of how modern consumers incorporate matcha into daily life.

About the Clearspring Matcha

Clearspring offers two grades of organic Japanese matcha green tea powder, each crafted for different ceremonial and culinary needs.

Ceremonial grade

The Ceremonial Grade is Clearspring's finest matcha, made from the smallest shade-grown leaves picked from the very tip of the bush. It delivers a vibrant green colour and a slightly sweet, smooth flavour with minimal bitterness, making it ideal for traditional Japanese tea ceremonies.

Premium grade and processing

Premium Grade matcha is versatile for both drinking and cooking, excelling in lattes, smoothies, and baking while adding distinctive flavour and natural green colour. All matcha is stone-ground on traditional granite mills, a slow process producing about 30 grams per hour to prevent overheating and safeguard the delicate flavour.

Harvest location

Clearspring sources its matcha exclusively from the Uji region of Japan, one of the most prestigious tea-growing areas and a heartland of traditional Japanese tea. Its unique terroir provides ideal conditions for premium matcha.

Grower partnership

The matcha comes from the Nagata family, a third-generation artisan producer working organic land in Uji. Their organic approach fosters biodiversity and healthy soil while preserving the region's cultivation traditions.

Cultivation and processing

Tea plants are shade-grown for several weeks before harvest, which raises chlorophyll, lifts the natural umami, and softens bitterness. The first flush (ichibancha) is picked in early spring, with the finest leaf tips hand-selected. After harvest the leaves are steamed to halt oxidation, dried, and sorted into tencha, then ground on granite stone mills into the fine matcha powder.

Clearspring History

New Zealander Christopher Dawson, concerned about modern agriculture in the early 1970s, worked with organic producers before moving to the UK in 1974.

Milestones

  • 1980: A journey to Japan ignited his passion for traditional food production.
  • 1993: Founded Clearspring to offer organic foods made with time-honored recipes.
  • 2020: His daughter Maria Dawson took leadership in a generational transition.
January 1, 1974

After working with organic producers in New Zealand and developing concerns about modern agriculture's environmental impact, Christopher Dawson moved to the UK to continue his studies in sustainable farming methods, laying the groundwork for his future company.

January 1, 1980

Christopher Dawson embarked on an inspiring journey to Japan that ignited his passion for traditional food production methods and Japanese culture. This transformative experience would directly lead to the founding of Clearspring and its focus on authentic Japanese foods.

January 1, 1993

Christopher Dawson established Clearspring as a family-run business dedicated to offering high-quality organic foods crafted using time-honored recipes. The company's mission emphasized authenticity, minimal processing, and a commitment to avoiding artificial additives while championing knowledge-sharing and regenerative agriculture.

January 1, 2020

Clearspring successfully completed a generational transition with Christopher Dawson's daughter Maria taking leadership of the company. This milestone ensured the continuation of the company's core values and mission while maintaining its position as a respected provider of authentic Japanese and organic foods.

Frequently asked questions

Here are some frequently asked questions and answers.

What's the difference between Clearspring's Ceremonial Grade and Premium Grade matcha?

Clearspring Ceremonial Grade uses the finest, smallest shade-grown leaves from the very tip of the tea bush, creating a vibrant green color and slightly sweet, smooth flavor ideal for traditional tea ceremonies. Premium Grade offers excellent versatility for both drinking and home baking, adding unique flavor and color to lattes, smoothies, and baked goods.

Both grades are sourced from the Uji region of Japan and produced by Clearspring's partner, the Nagata family, but the Ceremonial Grade represents the highest quality leaves from the first flush harvest.

Why does Clearspring's matcha sometimes vary in color, and how does the company address this?

Clearspring transparently acknowledges that some customers have reported variations in their matcha's color. The company explains this occurs due to natural variations in harvest and processing - factors inherent to authentic, minimally processed matcha.

Rather than using artificial methods to standardize appearance, Clearspring maintains their commitment to traditional production methods with their Nagata family partners, accepting these natural variations as part of authentic matcha production.

How does Clearspring's partnership with the Nagata family ensure quality?

Clearspring works exclusively with the Nagata family, third-generation artisan producers who abandoned chemical-dependent agriculture in 1974 to embrace sustainable organic practices. This long-term relationship, spanning decades, ensures consistent quality and shared values.

  • The Nagata family specializes in traditional shade-growing techniques
  • They use stone-grinding methods that prevent overheating
  • Their biodynamic practices exceed conventional organic standards
  • The partnership represents Clearspring's commitment to supporting traditional Japanese producers

What makes Clearspring's Demeter Organic certification different from regular organic matcha?

Demeter Organic certification represents the highest quality organic standards worldwide, going far beyond conventional organic requirements. For Clearspring's matcha, this means:

The certification signifies biodynamic farming practices that emphasize soil health, biodiversity, and holistic farm management. This approach, combined with Clearspring's kosher and plant-based certifications, reflects founder Christopher Dawson's original vision from 1993 of supporting regenerative agriculture and authentic Japanese food production methods.

How did Christopher Dawson's New Zealand background influence Clearspring's approach to Japanese matcha?

Christopher Dawson's journey from questioning modern agriculture's environmental impact in 1970s New Zealand to founding Clearspring in 1993 shaped the company's unique philosophy. His hands-on experience with organic producers in New Zealand, followed by studies in the UK, gave him a deep understanding of sustainable agriculture before his pivotal trip to Japan.

This background led Clearspring to emphasize minimal processing, traditional methods, and long-term partnerships with producers like the Nagata family. Now under daughter Maria Dawson's leadership, the company maintains this commitment to authenticity and environmental responsibility that distinguishes it from conventional matcha importers.