MATSUThe short answer. Yes — the practical approach is one grade per application, a written service standard, and planned shipments against your forecast so every outlet pours the same drink.
- What volumes can you handle? One kilo minimum per grade, with a single shipment running up to about 30 kg. Larger group volumes are planned as staged consignments against a forecast.
- What is the lead time? 7–10 days from cleared payment to delivery, tracked EMS.
- Do you provide organic or halal certification, or a CoA? Not currently as standard. We provide commercial invoice, packing list, origin, grade and product specifications. If your group requires more, tell us early and we will say honestly what is achievable.
Why hotel buying is different
An independent café can change matcha and only its regulars notice. A hotel group cannot: the same drink has to taste the same in the lobby lounge, at breakfast, in banqueting and in room service. That shifts the criteria from price to repeatability — the same grade, from the same growers, arriving on a schedule you can plan around.
Consistency across outlets
Three practical requirements usually surface:
- One grade per application. A latte grade behind the bar, a culinary grade for pastry. Mixing them across outlets is where complaints start.
- A written service standard. Dose, water temperature and whisking method, so a new hire in one property produces the same cup as a five-year veteran in another. Our barista training playbook is written for exactly this.
- Colour that survives milk. Most hotel volume is milk-based; a grade chosen on a straight tasting can disappoint in a latte.
Volume planning and lead times
Matcha is agricultural and seasonal, so the honest way to plan is with a forecast rather than an emergency order. Two numbers to bring to a supplier conversation: your monthly kilos and your peak months.
| Item | Reality |
|---|---|
| Minimum order | 1 kg per grade |
| Dispatch lead time | 1–2 working days from cleared payment |
| Door-to-door | 7–10 days, tracked EMS |
| Single shipment ceiling | around 30 kg — larger volumes ship in staged consignments |
| Volume discounts | 10% at 5 kg, 15% at 10 kg, 20% at 25 kg |
The 30 kg figure is a genuine constraint of a producer-direct chain, not a negotiating position. For groups needing more, we plan staged shipments against a forecast rather than pretending a single pallet is available on demand.
Documentation, honestly
Procurement teams often arrive with a document checklist. Here is where we stand, plainly:
- What we can provide: commercial invoice, packing list, origin and grade information, and product specifications for the lots you buy.
- What we do not currently hold: organic certification, halal certification, and lot-level certificates of analysis as standard.
If your group requires documentation we do not currently hold, tell us early and we will say honestly whether it is achievable with our producers for your volume — rather than promising paperwork and disappointing your compliance team at onboarding.
Where MATSU fits
We are a small producer-direct supplier: eight curated grades from Uji, Kagoshima and Izumo, priced transparently from $390 to $1,050 per kilogram before shipping, shipped from Japan to 49 countries. That suits hotels and groups that value a short chain, a named grade and a supplier who answers directly.
It is a poor fit if you need pallet volumes on demand, or full certification packs from day one. We would rather tell you that at the first meeting.
The usual first step is the $99 Tasting Kit — put three flagship grades through your own bar and pastry section before committing to a programme. The $99 is credited in full to your first order.
Frequently asked questions
Can you supply multiple hotel outlets consistently?
Yes — the practical approach is one grade per application, a written service standard, and planned shipments against your forecast so every outlet pours the same drink.
What volumes can you handle?
One kilo minimum per grade, with a single shipment running up to about 30 kg. Larger group volumes are planned as staged consignments against a forecast.
What is the lead time?
7–10 days from cleared payment to delivery, tracked EMS.
Do you provide organic or halal certification, or a CoA?
Not currently as standard. We provide commercial invoice, packing list, origin, grade and product specifications. If your group requires more, tell us early and we will say honestly what is achievable.
How do we evaluate the matcha first?
The $99 Tasting Kit ships three flagship grades and is credited in full to your first order — most groups run it through both the bar and the pastry section before deciding.
