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Cuzen Matcha: Matcha Machine Maker Since 2019

Cuzen Matcha grinds organic shade-grown Japanese tea leaves to under 20 micrometers, then whisks the fresh powder with water.
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Who is Cuzen Matcha?

Cuzen Matcha is a California-founded matcha brand that grinds organic Japanese tea leaves on demand. Its range spans daily blends and single-origin matcha from Uji, Kyoto and Kagoshima.

Premium Blend uses first-harvest leaves and holds JAS and USDA organic certification. Suppliers shade plants before harvest, use satsuma double-handed picking, then steam tencha within hours and remove stems and veins before grinding.

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Cuzen Matcha in details

Cuzen Matcha redefines home matcha preparation by bringing authentic, freshly-ground tea directly from organic Japanese farms to your kitchen. Founded in 2019 by Eijiro Tsukada and Oki Hatta, this California-based food-tech company addresses a fundamental problem: pre-ground matcha powder loses its freshness and flavor over time, much like pre-ground coffee.

The Technology Behind Fresh Matcha

The Cuzen Matcha Maker represents years of engineering precision. Designed in collaboration with San Francisco-based industrial designer Naoya Edahiro, the machine reproduces the qualities of a traditional 130-pound granite stone mill in a compact countertop format. Its ceramic mill grinds organic shade-grown leaves to under 20 micrometers, then automatically whisks the powder into water. This process preserves the tea’s umami-rich flavor and aromatic compounds that dissipate in pre-ground powder.

The system earned recognition as one of TIME’s 100 Best Inventions of 2020, a CES 2020 Innovation Awards Honoree, and winner of the SF Design Week 2020 Future of Foods Award.

Sustainable Sourcing From Japanese Tea Farmers

Tsukada, who spent over a decade at Suntory developing tea products, built relationships with family-owned farms in Kagoshima prefecture. These farmers practice organic cultivation without chemical pesticides or fertilizers. The partnership addresses a critical challenge: Japan’s declining domestic demand for high-quality tea threatens traditional farming practices.

Cuzen Matcha sources USDA organic certified leaves (OCO-certified since 2011) that are specially prepared to work with the machine’s compact mill. Each matcha shot costs approximately $1 using Cuzen refills, making premium quality accessible for daily use.

Health Benefits and Versatility

Fresh matcha delivers sustained energy without the caffeine crash associated with coffee. The presence of l-theanine produces calm alertness rather than jittery feelings. Users can enjoy the matcha shot straight, in hot or iced lattes, with sparkling water, or mixed into cocktails and mocktails.

Environmental Commitment

Unlike single-serve coffee pods that contribute to plastic waste, the Matcha Maker system minimizes packaging and eliminates disposable components. The company’s mission extends beyond product sales to supporting sustainable tea production ecosystems in Japan.

From a 2020 Kickstarter campaign to becoming an award-winning brand available through direct sales and select retailers, Cuzen Matcha demonstrates that authentic Japanese tea culture can adapt to modern lifestyles without compromising quality or sustainability.

About the Cuzen Matcha Matcha

Cuzen Matcha delivers freshly-ground organic tea leaves on demand, ranging across everyday blends and single-origin selections.

Signature Blends

The Premium Blend is made entirely of first-harvest leaves for a nuanced, umami-rich cup with subtle notes of seaweed and roasted pistachio, best enjoyed straight as thin usucha and certified organic by both JAS and USDA. The Signature Blend balances first and second harvest leaves 50/50, pairing vibrant green character with a more robust edge that suits lattes and baked goods. The Latte Blend leans on bolder second-harvest leaves formulated for milk-based drinks, complementing both dairy and non-dairy alternatives.

Single Origin

The single-origin collection showcases the terroir of Japan's most esteemed tea regions, including matcha from Uji, Kyoto, an area with a tea-growing legacy spanning over 800 years.

Harvest location

Cuzen Matcha sources from Japan's premier tea regions. Uji in Kyoto is the primary origin, prized for its climate, fertile soil and long farming tradition, while Kagoshima in the south offers volcanic soil and a warm climate for a well-balanced profile. Suppliers use the traditional satsuma double-handed picking style, taking only the youngest, most tender leaves while minimising plant damage.

Shading and cultivation

Growers cover the plants with black polyethylene nets for 20 to 30 days before harvest. This raises chlorophyll by up to 20 percent and L-theanine by up to 25 percent against unshaded plants, cutting bitter catechins for a smoother matcha. Cultivation is certified JAS and USDA organic.

Harvest and processing

The first harvest, ichibancha, falls between late April and mid-May and supplies the most valued leaves. Within hours the tencha is steamed for 15 to 20 seconds to prevent oxidation, then dried, with stems and veins removed to leave pure leaf ready for grinding.

Cuzen Matcha History

Cuzen Matcha was founded in 2019 in California as World Matcha Inc, created by Eijiro Tsukada and Oki Hatta. Tsukada brought a decade of beverage industry experience from Suntory, while Hatta contributed design and technological expertise.

In 2020, the company's Matcha Maker was named one of TIME's Best Inventions of 2020, recognized for grinding organic leaves fresh on demand to solve pre-ground matcha degradation.

January 1, 2019

World Matcha Inc, the creator of Cuzen Matcha, was founded in California by Eijiro Tsukada and Oki Hatta. Tsukada brought a decade of beverage industry experience from Suntory, while Hatta contributed design and technological expertise to create user-centric products that bridge traditional Japanese tea culture with modern innovation.

January 1, 2020

Cuzen Matcha's Matcha Maker was recognized as one of TIME's Best Inventions of 2020. The award specifically lauded the Matcha Maker's user-friendly design and its ability to solve the pervasive problem of pre-ground matcha degradation by providing freshly-ground organic tea leaves on demand, preserving essential flavors and nutrients.

Frequently asked questions

Here are some frequently asked questions and answers.

What's the difference between Cuzen Matcha's Premium Blend and Signature Blend?

Premium Blend uses 100% first harvest leaves (ichibancha) and delivers a nuanced, umami-rich flavor with tasting notes of seaweed and roasted pistachio. It contains approximately 23-27mg of caffeine per level one shot and is best enjoyed straight in traditional usucha style.

Signature Blend combines 50% first harvest and 50% second harvest leaves, creating a more balanced profile perfect for mixed drinks and recipes. It contains about 25mg of caffeine per level one shot and offers greater versatility for lattes and baking applications.

How does the Cuzen Matcha Maker's ceramic mill work?

The Cuzen Matcha Maker features a custom-designed ceramic mill inspired by traditional stone grinding techniques. This mill gently grinds whole tea leaves on demand, preventing heat generation that could compromise delicate flavors and aromas.

The slow grinding process produces an ultra-fine powder with a consistent particle size of approximately 10 microns, ensuring a luxuriously smooth and creamy texture. This innovation earned Cuzen Matcha recognition as one of TIME's Best Inventions of 2020 for solving the problem of pre-ground matcha degradation.

Which Cuzen Matcha blend should I choose for milk-based drinks?

The Latte Blend is specifically formulated for milk-based beverages. It primarily uses second harvest leaves that deliver a bold, robust flavor profile designed to cut through the richness of both dairy and non-dairy milk alternatives.

With approximately 30mg of caffeine per level one shot - the highest among Cuzen's blends - the Latte Blend provides both flavor intensity and energy boost that complements creamy drinks perfectly.

What makes Cuzen Matcha's Single Origin offerings from Uji and Kagoshima unique?

Uji, Kyoto matcha comes from the birthplace of matcha with over 800 years of cultivation history. This region's ideal climate and fertile soil produce matcha with distinctive deep umami flavor, velvety smooth texture, and vibrant green hue, characterized by subtle sweetness and lingering finish.

Kagoshima matcha benefits from volcanic soil and warm, temperate climate in southern Japan. These conditions create a well-balanced flavor profile with both sweetness and gentle astringency, offering a slightly bolder taste compared to Uji matcha for those seeking more assertive flavor.

How much caffeine is in each Cuzen Matcha blend per serving?

  • Premium Blend: 23-27mg per level one shot
  • Signature Blend: 25mg per level one shot
  • Latte Blend: ~30mg per level one shot

The caffeine content varies based on the harvest composition, with second harvest leaves naturally containing slightly more caffeine than first harvest leaves. The Latte Blend has the highest caffeine content due to its primary use of second harvest leaves.