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Harney & Sons: US Tea Purveyor, Uji Matcha Since 1983

Harney & Sons sources matcha from Uji and Wazuka, offering thick ceremonial grades and versatile thin grades for daily preparation.
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Who is Harney & Sons?

Harney & Sons is a American tea purveyor offering matcha sourced from Japan, including Uji and Wazuka Valley. Its range spans ceremonial and daily-preparation grades, with Unjonotomo from a small garden along the Uji River.

Founded in 1983, company began building relationships with Japanese tea growers in 1990. Its matcha uses shade-grown tencha, handpicked, steamed, air-dried, and stone-ground into powder.

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Harney & Sons in details

Harney & Sons brings four decades of tea expertise to the matcha marketplace, offering Japanese-sourced green tea powder that reflects the family’s dedication to quality since 1983. Founded by John Harney and now led by his sons Michael and Paul, the company maintains direct relationships with Japanese tea growers that span more than 35 years. This hands-on approach ensures their premium matcha meets the exacting standards that have made the brand a trusted name among tea enthusiasts.

Direct Sourcing from Japan’s Historic Tea Region

Harney & Sons sources its matcha from Japan’s renowned Uji region near Kyoto, where tea cultivation has been perfected over eight centuries. The family has spent decades building personal connections with farmers in this historic area, known for producing Japan’s most prestigious matcha. These long-standing partnerships give them access to shade-grown leaves that develop the vibrant green color and smooth, umami-rich flavor profile matcha lovers seek.

Traditional Methods Meet American Accessibility

The company bridges Japanese tea tradition with American tea culture. Their matcha undergoes the traditional production process: tea plants are shaded for weeks before harvest to boost chlorophyll and amino acids, then the youngest leaves are steamed, dried, and stone-ground into fine powder. Harney & Sons makes this ceremonial-grade quality accessible to both newcomers exploring matcha’s health benefits and experienced practitioners of the Japanese tea ceremony.

A Range for Every Purpose

Understanding that matcha serves different needs, the brand offers varieties suited to various uses:

  • Ceremonial-grade matcha for traditional whisked preparation and mindful drinking
  • Culinary-grade options for lattes, smoothies, and baking applications
  • Educational resources about proper preparation and the tea’s antioxidant properties

Family Values in Every Tin

What sets Harney & Sons apart is their family-driven commitment to tea education and quality. Mike Harney actively shares insights about matcha’s growing popularity in America and its impact on Japanese tea production. The company doesn’t just sell matcha—they help customers understand its origins, production methods, and the cultural significance behind each cup. This approach has earned them distribution in specialty stores and high-end retailers while maintaining the personal touch that defines a family business.

For matcha buyers comparing brands, Harney & Sons offers Japanese authenticity backed by decades of direct sourcing experience, making them a reliable choice in an increasingly crowded market.

About the Harney & Sons Matcha

Harney & Sons offers a curated selection of matcha sourced primarily from Japan's prestigious Uji region, renowned for the world's finest matcha.

Premium Grades

  • Unjonotomo (extra thick grade) is the flagship ceremonial matcha, made from shade-grown tencha with pronounced sweetness and luxurious vegetal flavor, from a small garden along the Uji River.
  • Senjunomukashi (thick grade) offers rich umami with subtle sulfurous notes, suited to ceremonial preparation and daily enjoyment.
  • Matcha Jobetsugi (thin grade) is a subdued daily matcha from the Wazuka Valley that pairs well with chocolate, smoothies, and lattes.

Organic Options

Everyday Organic Matcha from Kyushu is harvested later in spring for a lighter color and delicate flavor suited to baking and beverages, and a small-tin Organic Matcha is made in spring from the finest young leaves.

Harvest location

Harney & Sons sources matcha from several renowned Japanese tea regions, each adding distinct character. Uji, the historic area near Kyoto, is the crown jewel of its network; the Unjonotomo comes from a small garden along the Uji River. Wazuka Valley, smaller but long celebrated for distinctive tea, supplies the tencha for the Jobetsugi matcha, while Kyushu Island provides the organic varieties.

Additional regions

Beyond these, the company also draws on Kagoshima, known for early harvests, plus Mie Prefecture and Shizuoka, which has Japan's largest tea production volume. This diversified sourcing supports steady supply and varied flavour.

Shading and processing

Production begins with shading the plants for roughly four weeks before harvest to raise chlorophyll and enhance natural sweetness. After careful handpicking, leaves are steamed to prevent oxidation, air-dried into tencha, then stone-ground into matcha powder.

Harney & Sons History

Harney & Sons was founded in 1983 by John Harney as an American tea purveyor committed to sourcing premium teas from around the world.

Family legacy

  • 1990 — Began cultivating relationships with Japanese tea growers.
  • 2000 — John's sons Michael and Paul Harney took over operations.
  • 2010 — Expanded its premium matcha line, including Unjonotomo from the Uji River and Jobetsugi from Wazuka Valley.
January 1, 1983

John Harney established Harney & Sons as an American tea purveyor, beginning a journey focused on sourcing premium teas and crafting innovative blends from around the world.

January 1, 1990

Harney & Sons began cultivating relationships with Japanese tea growers, establishing connections that would span over three decades and become fundamental to their matcha expertise.

January 1, 2000

Michael and Paul Harney, John's sons, took over company operations, continuing to embrace both tradition and innovation while emphasizing sustainability, diversity, and equality in business practices.

January 1, 2010

The company expanded its premium matcha offerings, including award-winning Unjonotomo Extra Thick Grade sourced from a small garden along the Uji River and Jobetsugi from Wazuka Valley.

Frequently asked questions

Here are some frequently asked questions and answers.

What's the difference between Harney & Sons' Unjonotomo and Senjunomukashi matcha grades?

Unjonotomo (Extra Thick Grade) represents Harney & Sons' award-winning, top-tier matcha with pronounced sweetness and luxurious vegetal essence, ideal for traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. Senjunomukashi (Thick Grade) offers a rich umami (savory) taste with subtle sulfurous notes, historically used in both ancient and modern tea ceremonies.

Both are stone-ground from premium tencha (shade-grown tea leaves), but Unjonotomo commands the highest price point due to its superior leaf selection and processing standards.

Why does Harney & Sons offer both small tin Organic Matcha and Everyday Organic Matcha from Kyushu?

The distinction lies in harvest timing and processing methods:

  • Small tin Organic Matcha: Made from the best young spring leaves, stone-ground using traditional methods
  • Everyday Organic Matcha: Harvested later in spring, processed with larger industrial milling equipment for economy

Both originate from Kyushu island, but the later harvest timing makes Everyday Organic Matcha more affordable while maintaining quality suitable for baking and beverages.

How do Harney & Sons' blended matchas like Very Berry and White Peach differ from traditional matcha?

Harney & Sons' innovative matcha blends—including Very Berry Matcha, White Peach Matcha, and Earl Grey Matcha—are fundamentally different from traditional powdered matcha. These blends are not powdered and must be steeped like regular tea rather than whisked.

This unique approach allows Harney & Sons to combine matcha's distinctive flavor with additional ingredients, creating a different matcha experience that bridges traditional tea preparation with matcha's health benefits.

Which Harney & Sons matcha should I choose for daily drinking versus baking?

For daily drinking, choose Jobetsugi (Thin Grade), which offers a more subdued flavor profile perfect for regular consumption and pairs excellently with chocolate.

For baking and culinary use, Everyday Organic Matcha provides the best value—its lighter color and delicate flavor work seamlessly in recipes, smoothies, and beverage creations without overwhelming other ingredients.

Avoid using the premium Unjonotomo or Senjunomukashi for cooking, as their complex flavors and higher price points are best appreciated in traditional tea preparation.

What makes Harney & Sons' sourcing relationships unique in the matcha industry?

Harney & Sons has cultivated enduring relationships with Japanese tea growers for over three decades, sourcing from specific regions including Uji, Kagoshima, Mie, Shizuoka, and Wazuka. They maintain particularly close ties with a small garden along the Uji River for their Unjonotomo matcha and source Jobetsugi specifically from the Wazuka Valley.

This long-term partnership approach ensures consistent quality and allows them to maintain traditional stone-grinding methods for their premium small tin offerings while adapting to market demands through their industrial-processed Everyday line.