MATSUThe short answer. Choose your grade, place an order (MOQ 1kg per grade with MATSU), and receive an air shipment — typically about 10 days from order to delivery. Start with the Tasting Kit to pick grades first.
- How long does shipping from Japan take? About 10 days for finished orders, because MATSU ships by air courier worldwide rather than by sea freight.
- What is included in the price, and what do I pay on arrival? It means the price covers the goods ready for export from Japan; the buyer arranges onward freight and handles import into their country. MATSU quotes grades before shipping.
- What is DAP, and can I buy that way? DAP (Delivered At Place) folds freight into a delivered price, with the buyer still clearing customs and duties. It is a common alternative to FOB — ask for the structure that suits your business.
What "importing matcha" actually involves
For a cafe, patisserie, hotel, or food manufacturer, importing matcha means three practical steps: choosing your grade, placing the order, and receiving an air shipment. You do not need a freight forwarder or a container — matcha is light, high-value, and ships by air courier in ordinary parcels. The paperwork is standard food-import documentation for your country; the product itself moves quickly.
The end-to-end flow
| Step | What happens | Typical timing |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sample | Order the Tasting Kit and evaluate grades | Ships by air |
| 2. Order | Place your wholesale order (1kg+ per grade) | Same/next business day |
| 3. Preparation | Producer-direct matcha is prepared and packed | Included in lead time |
| 4. Air freight | Shipped by air courier worldwide | Part of ~10-day window |
| 5. Delivery | Arrives at your business, ready to use | ~10 days from order |
Lead time from order to delivery is about 10 days. Because MATSU ships by air rather than sea, you avoid the multi-week transit of container freight.
The recommended path for first-time buyers
The lowest-risk way to start is a three-stage ramp:
1. Tasting Kit ($99) — three grades at 30g each, so you can whisk, pull lattes, and bake with real samples before committing. The $99 is credited in full to your first order. 2. 1kg of your chosen grade — MATSU's MOQ is 1kg per grade, so you can commit to just the grade(s) your menu needs without buying a case. 3. Recurring orders — once a grade is locked into your menu, reorder on your own cadence. At 10kg+ you reach 15% off; at 25kg+ you reach the top volume discount.
This sequence keeps your upfront risk near zero: you never buy a full kilogram of a grade you have not tasted, and the sample cost comes back to you.
FOB vs DAP: how to read a matcha quote
Two Incoterms come up most often when importing food products, and knowing the difference prevents budget surprises.
| Term | What it means | Who handles import/freight |
|---|---|---|
| FOB (Free On Board) Japan | Price covers the goods ready for export from Japan | Buyer arranges/pays onward freight and import |
| DAP (Delivered At Place) | Price covers delivery to your address | Seller arranges freight; buyer clears customs/duties |
MATSU quotes grades before shipping by default, which makes it easy to compare per-kg prices cleanly across grades. A DAP arrangement — where the shipping is built into a delivered price — is also a common way to buy; ask for the structure that fits how your business books freight and duties. In both cases, import duties and local taxes are the buyer's responsibility, since they vary by destination country.
> A note on documentation: requirements differ by country. Confirm your local food-import rules before your first shipment, and ask for exactly the paperwork MATSU can provide with your order so there are no assumptions on either side.
Why air freight suits matcha
Matcha rewards speed and freshness, and it is light enough that air shipping is economical relative to its value. Air freight means:
- ~10-day delivery instead of weeks by sea.
- Fresher product in your hands, closer to when it was prepared.
- Small, flexible orders — a 1kg order ships as easily as a 25kg one.
For a perishable-quality product like matcha, that speed protects the color and flavor you actually paid for.
FAQ
How do I import wholesale matcha from Japan? Choose your grade, place an order (MOQ 1kg per grade with MATSU), and receive an air shipment — typically about 10 days from order to delivery. Start with the Tasting Kit to pick grades first.
How long does shipping from Japan take? About 10 days for finished orders, because MATSU ships by air courier worldwide rather than by sea freight.
What is included in the price, and what do I pay on arrival? It means the price covers the goods ready for export from Japan; the buyer arranges onward freight and handles import into their country. MATSU quotes grades before shipping.
What is DAP, and can I buy that way? DAP (Delivered At Place) folds freight into a delivered price, with the buyer still clearing customs and duties. It is a common alternative to FOB — ask for the structure that suits your business.
Do I need a freight forwarder or a big minimum order? No. Matcha ships by air courier in ordinary parcels, and MATSU's MOQ is just 1kg per grade, so you can start small.
Who pays import duties? The buyer. Duties and local taxes depend on your destination country, so confirm your local food-import rules before the first shipment.
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Get started: Order the MATSU Tasting Kit ($99, credited to your first order) to choose your grades, then move to a 1kg order and set your reorder cadence. Or request the full catalog with all 8 grades, volume pricing, and shipping details.
