Matcha Temporarily Out of Stock

Dear Tea Lovers,

Due to an ongoing matcha shortage, we are currently running on limited stock. This shortage is driven by a surge in global demand and the limited seasonal production of high-quality matcha in Japan. Ceremonial-grade matcha is made from carefully cultivated, spring-harvested tea leaves, which require time to grow, shade, and process before being finely ground into powder. Some producers even age first-flush matcha for months to develop a deeper umami flavor.

Since Japan reopened after the pandemic, we’ve been traveling back more frequently for business purposes. During our last visit, we learned that most ceremonial-grade matcha has been out of stock, many suppliers have stopped supplying, and the remaining supply on the market is extremely limited. To make matcha continuously available, many large brands blend summer-harvest matcha into spring-harvest matcha. While this lowers production costs and enhances aroma, it also increases bitterness. In Germany, many low-cost matcha options come from China, made from a different tea variety than Japanese matcha.

For culinary-grade matcha, summer-harvest leaves are commonly used due to their stronger flavor and higher bitterness, which is often balanced with sugar and milk in baking or high-temperature cooking. However, for traditional tea ceremonies, it’s best to use pure ceremonial-grade matcha, as it is more delicate and should be prepared with water no hotter than 85°C to fully appreciate its smooth, umami-rich flavor.

Our next batch of matcha depends on the spring harvest in Japan. Once the fresh leaves are processed and shipped in June, we expect them to arrive in Germany by early July.

We appreciate your patience and understanding. If you’d like to be notified when matcha is back in stock, please sign up for updates or check back soon.

In the meantime, what’s the alternative?
If you’re a fan of matcha but find some of its umami flavor (which some might describe as a seafood-like taste) a bit too strong, we highly recommend trying Hojicha. Made from roasted, ground tea leaves, Hojicha offers a similarly earthy flavor to matcha, but with a stronger roasted note that makes it more approachable for those seeking a milder, less umami-driven taste. It’s almost like cocoa powder and works perfectly for a rich, comforting latte. Until then, we expect to receive more matcha by July!

Thank you for your support,
Bamboo Tea Room