The short answer. Pure, unflavoured matcha is a single-ingredient plant product — ground shade-grown tea leaves with no alcohol, no animal-derived ingredients and no additives — so it is generally considered halal-suitable by nature. Certification status varies by brand, so ask your supplier directly.

The question comes up constantly from café owners in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and the wider Gulf — and it deserves a straight answer rather than a marketing one. Here is how pure matcha is made, what that means for halal suitability, and where certification does and does not come into it.

What matcha is made of

Matcha is one ingredient: tencha — tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) grown under shade, steamed to stop oxidation, dried, destemmed and ground to a fine powder. Genuine matcha contains no sweeteners, no colourants, no flavourings, no fillers and no preservatives. If a powder lists anything beyond "green tea", it is a matcha blend, not matcha.

Every MATSU grade — from Kagoshima Standard at $390/kg to Izumo Reserve at $1,050/kg — is 100% ground tencha from named growing regions in Uji (Kyoto), Kagoshima and Izumo. Nothing is added at any point.

How matcha is processed

The traditional process is mechanically simple and involves no substances of concern: shading in the field, steam fixation (water vapour only), air drying, sorting, and slow granite stone-milling. There is no alcohol used at any stage, no animal-derived processing aids, no gelatine, no enzymes and no carriers — the leaf goes in, powder comes out. Matcha is also naturally vegan for the same reason.

Certification: our honest position

MATSU matcha is not currently halal-certified, and we would rather tell you that plainly than imply otherwise. What we can say factually: it is a single-ingredient plant product, processed without alcohol or animal derivatives, packed in food-grade facilities in Japan.

For many cafés and retailers, an ingredient declaration confirming "100% green tea" is sufficient for their own compliance. If your business or your market requires formal halal certification on file, tell us — message us on WhatsApp or email and we will discuss with our producers what documentation is realistic for your order. We will not promise paperwork we cannot deliver.

What changes in the cup

Halal questions about matcha drinks are almost always about the other ingredients, not the tea. A matcha latte made with milk or plant milk and sugar remains halal-suitable. Points to watch on a café menu are the usual ones: flavoured syrups that may contain alcohol-based extracts, cream products with animal-derived stabilisers, and dessert applications using gelatine. The matcha itself is the simplest ingredient on the bar.

How MATSU supplies Gulf cafés

The Gulf is one of our largest buyer regions. We ship producer-direct sourced matcha from Japan by tracked EMS to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Jordan, with landed-cost estimates shown at checkout before you pay. The $99 Tasting Kit (three flagship grades, 30 g each, credited in full to your first order) is the usual starting point — taste the grades in your own drinks before committing to kilograms.

Frequently asked questions

Is matcha halal?

Pure, unflavoured matcha is a single-ingredient plant product — ground shade-grown tea leaves with no alcohol, no animal-derived ingredients and no additives — so it is generally considered halal-suitable by nature. Certification status varies by brand, so ask your supplier directly.

Is MATSU matcha halal-certified?

Not currently, and we say so plainly. It is 100% ground tencha processed without alcohol or animal derivatives. If your market requires formal certification, contact us and we will discuss with our producers what documentation is realistic — we do not promise paperwork we cannot deliver.

Does matcha contain alcohol?

No. Traditional matcha processing uses only steam, air drying and stone-milling. No alcohol is used at any stage, and genuine matcha contains a single ingredient: green tea.

Do flavoured matcha lattes stay halal?

The matcha does — check the other ingredients. Flavoured syrups with alcohol-based extracts and desserts using gelatine are the usual points to review on a café menu. Milk, plant milks and sugar are not an issue.

Do you ship to Saudi Arabia and the GCC?

Yes — tracked EMS to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Jordan, with landed-cost estimates shown at checkout. The $99 Tasting Kit is the usual first step.