MATSUThe short answer: MATSU supplies cafés, specialty coffee houses and hotel F&B across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the wider GCC, producer-direct from Japan.
- Eight grades, $390–$1,050 per kg, FOB Japan — pricing public, no quote round-trip
- Minimum 1 kg per grade; volume discounts from 5 kg; partnership terms at 10 kg+
- Ships by air direct from Japan: 2–3 week lead time, then 10–35 business days door-to-door
- Start with the $129 Tasting Kit — three flagship grades, credited to your first order
What Gulf buyers ask first
The inquiries MATSU receives from the Gulf — Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates — tend to open with the same three questions, so here they are, answered up front:
- Does the colour survive ice and milk? In the latte tier, yes — these grades are selected for exactly that job. Grey iced matcha is a grade problem, not a matcha problem.
- What is the real minimum? 1 kg per grade. No container quantities, no distributor account.
- How long door-to-door? 2–3 weeks to dispatch, then 10–35 business days shipping direct from Japan.
The specialty coffee scene in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dubai and Kuwait City has made iced matcha a permanent menu line, not a trend item. What most menus are missing is not demand — it is a supply line where the buyer knows which harvest and which grower is in the tin.
Grades for iced menus and hotel service
| Program | Tier | Per-cup economics (2 g) |
|---|---|---|
| Iced matcha lattes, high-volume café menus | Latte tier — colour-stable over ice and milk | from $0.78 per drink |
| Signature drinks, matcha-forward concepts | Blend and single-origin mid-tier | ≈ $1.00–$1.30 per drink |
| Hotel tea service, fine dining, majlis service | Ceremonial tier from Uji and Izumo | up to $2.10 per serving |
At 2 g per drink, a kilogram pours roughly 500 lattes. The grade diagnostic narrows eight grades to a shortlist in four questions; full pricing is public on the grades page.
Heat, freshness, and transit
Two facts matter more in the Gulf than anywhere else we ship. First, matcha travels from Japan by air, not sea — 10–35 business days door-to-door, sealed in aluminium, never sitting in a hot container for weeks. Second, storage on arrival decides more than transit ever will: cool, dry, away from light, and refrigerated once opened. With a 12-month unopened shelf life, a quarterly reorder rhythm keeps a café inside the freshness window year-round, including a build-up order ahead of Ramadan and the winter high season.
Paperwork, honestly
Every shipment carries a commercial invoice, a packing list, and its lot code — UJI-26-1F reads as region, harvest year, first flush, grower batch. MATSU does not issue certificates of analysis, halal certification, or other compliance paperwork, and we would rather tell you that plainly on this page than in a disappointing email later. What we offer instead is the actual lot, in your cup, before you commit — our reasoning is on the quality page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum order for Gulf buyers?
1 kg per grade. Volume discounts begin at 5 kg, and partnership terms apply from 10 kg. A single 1 kg order is a normal way to start a program.
How long does shipping take to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, or Kuwait?
Allow 2–3 weeks from order to dispatch, then 10–35 business days shipping direct from Japan depending on service level, door-to-door. For a first stocking order, plan 4–10 weeks end-to-end and order ahead of seasonal peaks.
Is MATSU matcha halal-certified?
We do not currently hold halal certification, and we won't claim otherwise. What we can say factually: matcha is a single ingredient — stone-ground shaded tea leaves, nothing added, nothing processed alongside it in the cup — and every lot code traces to grower and harvest. If certification is a hard requirement for your program, we are honest that we cannot meet it today.
Which grades hold up in iced drinks?
The latte tier is built for milk and ice: the colour stays green rather than grey, and the umami reads through sweetness. Signature iced menus often step up one tier. The $129 Tasting Kit exists so you can test all three flagship grades in your own recipes before deciding.
How does matcha handle Gulf heat in transit and storage?
Matcha ships from Japan in sealed aluminium with a 12-month unopened shelf life, by air rather than sea. On arrival, store it cool, dry, and away from light; once a pack is opened, refrigeration preserves colour and aroma. A quarterly reorder rhythm keeps stock inside its freshness window.
Do you provide a COA or lab documents?
No — MATSU operates tasting-first and does not issue compliance paperwork. Every shipment carries a commercial invoice, a packing list, and a lot code (e.g. UJI-26-1F) tracing to region, harvest year, flush, and grower batch. Buyers who require lab documentation can commission independent testing on their own lot.