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Matcha Matcha UK: UK Brand, One Fourth-Generation Uji Farm

Matcha Matcha UK sources ceremonial matcha from a fourth-generation Uji farm, including Okumidori koicha and a Yabukita-Samidori usucha blend.
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Who is Matcha Matcha UK?

Matcha Matcha UK is a UK matcha brand sourcing ceremonial-grade tea from Uji, Kyoto Prefecture. Its range includes Okumidori koicha, Yabukita-Samidori usucha, and genmai matcha blended with roasted brown rice.

Supply comes through a fourth-generation family farm using traditional cultivation methods. Young leaves undergo 21-day Ooshita Saibai shading, hand-picking, rapid steaming, drying, then slow grinding on granite stone mills at 20 RPM.

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Matcha Matcha UK in details

Matcha Matcha UK emerged in 2023 with a clear purpose: to bridge the centuries-old tea traditions of Uji, Japan with British tea enthusiasts seeking genuine quality. The brand sources authentic ceremonial-grade matcha directly from Uji’s historic tea gardens, where volcanic soil and misty mountain conditions create some of the world’s finest green tea leaves.

Rooted in Japanese Tea Heritage

Uji has cultivated premium matcha for over 800 years, perfecting techniques passed through generations of tea masters. Matcha Matcha UK partners with these traditional producers who still hand-pick leaves and stone-grind them using granite mills. This meticulous process preserves the delicate flavor profile and vibrant color that distinguishes ceremonial-grade matcha from commercial alternatives.

Every batch undergoes rigorous quality assessment before reaching UK customers. The brand maintains direct relationships with Uji farmers, ensuring transparency from harvest to cup.

Sustainability Meets Tradition

The company’s approach balances reverence for ancient practices with modern environmental responsibility. Tea gardens operate without synthetic pesticides, relying instead on natural shade-growing methods that enhance chlorophyll content and amino acid development. These sustainable farming techniques protect local ecosystems while producing matcha with superior nutritional density.

Packaging choices reflect this environmental commitment. Matcha Matcha UK uses recyclable materials and minimizes shipping waste, recognizing that authentic quality extends beyond the product itself to encompass responsible business practices.

What Sets This Matcha Apart

Several factors distinguish this brand within the growing UK matcha market:

  • Single-origin sourcing exclusively from Uji’s premier tea-growing region
  • Stone-ground processing that maintains traditional texture and flavor complexity
  • Ceremonial-grade standards suitable for both traditional tea ceremonies and modern culinary applications
  • Direct farm partnerships that ensure freshness and ethical production

Bringing Authenticity to British Tables

Since launching, the brand has focused on education alongside distribution. Understanding matcha’s proper preparation and cultural significance helps customers appreciate the difference between mass-produced powder and genuinely crafted tea. Whether whisked into a frothy bowl for meditation or blended into morning lattes, the quality remains uncompromising.

Matcha Matcha UK represents a bridge between worlds—honoring Japanese tea mastery while making it accessible to a new generation of British tea drinkers who value authenticity, sustainability, and exceptional taste.

About the Matcha Matcha UK Matcha

Matcha Matcha UK offers three distinct ceremonial-grade matcha varieties, each sourced from traditional farms in the Uji region of Kyoto Prefecture through a fourth-generation family farm.

The three matcha

  • Koicha (thick tea): made from the Okumidori cultivar grown at 300 metres, delivering deep umami, vibrant green, and a smooth, buttery texture with an ultra-fine 5-micron particle size.
  • Usucha (thin tea): a blend of Yabukita and Samidori cultivars with sweet notes and a slightly astringent finish.
  • Genmai Matcha: ceremonial-grade matcha with roasted brown rice for a nutty aroma and savoury taste.

Production

Each variety is ground on traditional granite stone mills turning at 20 RPM, producing about 40 grams per hour. This slow grind prevents overheating and preserves the delicate flavour compounds and nutritional properties that define ceremonial-grade matcha.

Harvest location

Matcha Matcha UK sources exclusively from the Uji region of Kyoto Prefecture, Japan's most revered matcha-producing area and the birthplace of the tea. Its partnership with a fourth-generation family farm provides access to traditional cultivation methods passed down through generations.

Ooshita Saibai shade-growing

For 21 days before harvest the plants are covered with a double layer of black netting that cuts sunlight by roughly 98%. This shading sharply increases L-theanine and chlorophyll, producing matcha's vibrant green color and calming character.

Harvest and processing

Hand-picking runs from late April to early May, taking only the youngest top-three leaves under 3cm with a vibrant green hue and no blemishes. Leaves are steamed within hours at 120°C for 20 seconds, dried at 80°C then slowly air-dried over 24 hours to below 5% moisture, and finally ground on granite stone mills at 20 RPM to a 5-micron, silky-smooth powder.

Matcha Matcha UK History

Matcha Matcha UK was founded in January 2023 by Sarah Jones and Emily Chen, combining marketing and tea-sommelier expertise to bring ceremonial-grade matcha from Uji, Japan to the UK.

Milestones

  • June 2023 — Launched its first ceremonial-grade matcha line.
  • December 2023 — Opened a three-month pop-up in Selfridges London Food Hall.
  • February 2024 — Launched the Tea for Trees initiative.
January 15, 2023

Sarah Jones and Emily Chen founded Matcha Matcha UK in January 2023 with a vision to bring ceremonial-grade matcha from Uji, Japan to the UK, combining marketing expertise and tea mastery.

June 1, 2023

The brand launched its first ceremonial-grade matcha product line in June 2023, introducing three premium grades to UK retailers and achieving widespread acclaim for its authentic flavor and smooth texture.

December 1, 2023

Matcha Matcha UK opened a three-month pop-up store in Selfridges London Food Hall, elevating brand visibility and driving a 35% increase in sales during the holiday season.

February 14, 2024

In February 2024, the company launched the Tea for Trees initiative, pledging to plant a tree for every tin sold and partnering with reforestation projects to support environmental sustainability efforts.

Frequently asked questions

Here are some frequently asked questions and answers.

What's the difference between Matcha Matcha UK's Koicha at £35 and their Usucha at £28?

Koicha is made exclusively from the Okumidori cultivar grown at 300 meters elevation, offering a deep umami flavor with a buttery texture and vibrant green color (L* Value of 52). The Usucha is a balanced blend of Yabukita and Samidori cultivars, providing sweet notes with a slightly astringent finish.

The £7 price difference reflects Koicha's single-cultivar sourcing and its ultra-fine 5-micron particle size, making it ideal for traditional thick tea preparation, while Usucha works perfectly for everyday thin tea ceremonies.

How does Matcha Matcha UK's 'chagama' firing process affect the taste of their matcha?

The chagama firing process used by Matcha Matcha UK's fourth-generation Uji family farm involves slow-roasting tencha leaves over charcoal, which enhances the tea's inherent aroma and sweetness. This traditional technique sets their matcha apart from standard processing methods.

Combined with their precise steaming at 120°C for exactly 20 seconds and grinding at 20 RPM in granite stone mills, this process preserves volatile aroma compounds while preventing overheating that could degrade flavor.

What exactly happens when I buy a tin from Matcha Matcha UK's 'Tea for Trees' initiative?

For every tin of matcha you purchase, Matcha Matcha UK plants one tree through their 'Tea for Trees' initiative launched in 2024. These trees contribute to reforestation of degraded land specifically in the UK.

This program works alongside their existing carbon offset partnership with Ecologi, which supports reforestation projects in Madagascar, making each purchase contribute to both local UK environmental restoration and global sustainability efforts.

Why is Matcha Matcha UK's Genmai Matcha priced at £32 when it contains roasted brown rice?

Despite containing roasted brown rice, Genmai Matcha maintains ceremonial-grade quality standards and commands £32 because it uses the same premium matcha base as their other varieties. The addition of genmai (roasted brown rice) creates a unique nutty aroma and savory taste profile that requires careful balancing.

This isn't a lower-grade product with filler - it's a sophisticated blend that offers a completely different flavor experience while maintaining the same quality sourcing from their Uji family farm and traditional production methods.

Can I still experience Matcha Matcha UK's products after their Selfridges pop-up ended?

Yes! While their three-month Selfridges Food Hall collaboration ended in August 2024, you can purchase all three varieties - Koicha, Usucha, and Genmai Matcha - directly through their online store.

They also maintain partnerships with select retailers including Planet Organic. The Selfridges pop-up was incredibly successful, generating a 45% surge in brand awareness and 20% increase in online sales, but their core business remains focused on direct-to-consumer sales and carefully chosen retail partnerships.