Uji Matcha Wholesale: Verify Japanese Origin Before Buying

Uji Matcha Wholesale: What TV Asahi Found

TV Asahi purchased products offered through an online shopping app under the name “Uji matcha.” One package carried that name alongside unusual Japanese text. Another displayed “Uji matcha” on the front of its tin, although the place of origin shown on the product was Anhui Province in China. The report identified an Anhui-based company as the apparent producer of the latter item.

That tin was also named “Seiran.” TV Asahi noted that Seiran is a name used for a regular product sold by Marukyu Koyamaen, an established Uji tea company. In the comparison shown in the report, the Chinese product cost less than half as much as the Japanese product. This is a comparison of the products featured in the report, not a wholesale price guide or evidence that their contents and quality are equivalent.

The Chinese seller told TV Asahi that its product used different raw materials and was made in China. It denied making an imitation, explaining that “Seiran” described a grade within its own product range. Marukyu Koyamaen expressed concern that such products could cause consumers to misunderstand their origin or quality and damage confidence in the Uji tea brand. The two statements represent the respective positions reported by the broadcaster; the article does not establish a finding about every product using a Japanese-sounding name.

Chinese-Made “Uji Matcha” and Japanese Origin

The central distinction for a Japanese-matcha buyer is between wording on a package and the stated origin of the tea inside it. In TV Asahi’s example, “Uji matcha” appeared on a product whose indicated origin was China. A familiar place name on the front of a tin therefore cannot, by itself, answer the question a cafe or importer needs answered: is this particular product Japanese matcha?

The report describes “Uji matcha” in terms of tea harvested in Kyoto, Nara, Shiga or Mie, processed by a Kyoto business using methods associated with the Uji region, and ground with a millstone. A buyer seeking a product sold under that name can use those details to make an enquiry more specific. Ask the supplier where the tea for the quoted product was harvested, where it was processed, and how the proposed product description relates to those facts.

As a Japan-based wholesale supplier, we see this as a product-identification issue to resolve before discussing a larger order. “Uji” may be the term that first brings a cafe to a supplier, but it should not be the only information carried forward into a purchase decision. The TV Asahi report does not document our individual supplier transactions, so it would be misleading to present its examples as something we have observed in our own shipments. What it does provide is a concrete reason to ask for origin details tied to the exact product on a quotation.

Matcha Wholesale: Questions Before You Order

TV Asahi also reported substantial growth in Chinese matcha production. Citing People’s Daily, it put China’s 2025 production at more than 12,000 metric tons, compared with less than 4,000 metric tons in 2020. The broadcaster separately reported approximately 6,300 metric tons of production in Japan in 2025. These national figures provide context for the news story; they do not tell a buyer how much Japanese matcha a particular supplier has available or what a quoted lot should cost.

For an importer, the more useful comparison is between specific offers. The two products named “Seiran” in the report illustrate why a shared name and a lower price do not establish that buyers are looking at the same product. Before negotiating price or setting inventory targets for a Japanese-matcha menu, identify exactly what each supplier proposes to deliver.

Confirm the product: Ask which exact item and lot the quotation covers, rather than relying on a name shared with another product.

Confirm the origin: Request the stated origin of the tea and its processing location. If the offer uses “Uji,” ask how those details relate to that description.

Check the wording: Compare the supplier’s product details with the name and origin you intend to present to customers.

Plan repeat orders: Ask whether a later shipment would be the same identified product before using the first quotation to plan ongoing inventory.

These are purchasing questions prompted by the report, not a claim that TV Asahi inspected every supplier or that asking them guarantees a particular outcome. They help keep the discussion focused on authentic Japanese matcha rather than on a label alone. They also prevent a misleading price comparison: if the products differ in stated origin or raw materials, their quotations should not be treated as offers for an identical item.

Japanese Matcha Wholesale: A Clear Standard

For a cafe that promises customers Japanese matcha, origin is part of the product it has chosen to serve. The Anhui example in TV Asahi’s report shows why the promise should be checked against product details, not inferred from “Uji matcha” printed on packaging. Buyers can make that check before committing to a purchase, and carry the confirmed details into discussions about price, order quantity and how the drink will be described.

The report does not provide a current wholesale price, a forecast of Japanese supply, or inventory guidance for an individual US business. It does support one immediate action: when sourcing Japanese matcha, ask the supplier to identify the exact product and clearly state its origin. If those answers do not match what you intend to sell, resolve the discrepancy before placing the order.