January 2025 – Price hikes and uncertainty begin

With the new year came the first price hike for tencha tea, the raw material for matcha. The market became uncertain, but I hoped that the upcoming harvest would bring stability.

April 2025 – Japan and the shocking reality

I spent a month right at the source – in Japan. And I didn’t have time to be surprised. The tea hadn’t even been harvested yet and was already almost sold out. I visited about 20 tea farms. Farmers openly said that there was artificial pressure on the market. Tencha is also being bought up by companies that have nothing to do with tea. Honest producers are under enormous pressure and even receive threatening phone calls.

May 2025 – the crisis is peaking

The news was confirmed that most of the harvest had been sold to companies that had not been interested in matcha until then, and to China and Taiwan. The price of tencha shot up – by up to 300%. What had previously seemed impossible had become a reality. The artificial increase in the price of products also affected matcha tea.

Shocking news – export of know-how

The next blow came when it was confirmed to me that Japanese tea masters had started traveling to China to train tea grinding techniques. I consider this a step that could lead to the complete degradation of matcha. The secret of production, which for centuries was passed down only between masters, is now exported outside of Japan. To me, this is completely incomprehensible and short-sighted behavior.

June 2025 – depletion of stocks and tough decisions

Our stocks began to dwindle. Demand from Europe increased by more than 400%. In order to ensure enough tea for the Czech and Slovak markets, we were forced to stop all foreign trade. Until then, we had been supplying to 23 EU countries. Losses in turnover are estimated at 40-50 million crowns, but it is crucial for us to keep the Matcha Tea brand on the market.

Business disappointment and harsh reality

In 13 years of business, I have never experienced such a frustrating situation. Thanks to stable partners, we have enough stocks for CZ and SK until the 2026 harvest, but we will probably not resume foreign trade until then.

The market is flooded with cheap offers from China and Taiwan

We have started receiving a lot of offers of matcha tea from China and Taiwan. These countries previously bought up tencha and are now reselling it ground into the form of „matcha“. Although we refuse, saying that the sale of matcha from countries other than Japan is illegal in the Czech Republic, they still send us samples. Their quality is deplorable and the price does not correspond to the real value at all. Often these are products that are far from real matcha. Very poor quality grinding and we are sure that it is also a mix of all possible green teas that they mixed into tencha. Such products can damage the reputation of matcha and deceive customers.

Emphasis on customers: choose carefully!

For 13 years, we have been appealing to customers to watch the sources of their tea. In 2025, this is more true than ever. Be careful what matcha you buy and from whom. Genuine Japanese matcha cannot be mistaken for anything – and cheap imitations will never replace its quality or effects.

Hope for 2026

Despite everything, I believe that this bubble will burst. 2026 could bring a return to normal.

Until then, however, we need to be cautious and protect not only customers but also the good name of genuine Japanese matcha.

HOW TO RECOGNIZE GENUINE JAPANESE MATCHA? ✅

Thank you for choosing real matcha and supporting honest farmers!

Petr Patočka CEO Kyosun s.r.o.