2 days ago
Matcha tea maker from Kagoshima taps new markets in US
Matcha green tea is extending its fan base beyond Japan. An ambitious producer in the country's southwest is making a pitch for the locally-produced beverage in the United States.
The president of Kagoshima Seicha tea company, Mori Hiroyuki, was in Washington last weekend. He attended an event at the Japanese ambassador's residence.
US government officials were among those lining up to sample a cocktail he offered. It was made from matcha powder and shochu, a Japanese spirit.
One guest had high praise for the drink. "This is really good," she said, "It's like it's such an unusual taste. And with the tea and the spirit, the Japanese spirit, it's really good."
Mori aims to raise consumer awareness of the tea product. "I hope to raise the brand value of Kagoshima tea when demand for matcha green tea is surging," he said.
The company is based in Kagoshima Prefecture, a main hub for unrefined tea. It overtook Shizuoka as the top producer last year. But prices for the Kagoshima variety have not risen as expected because it is still not as widely known as brands from Shizuoka or Kyoto.
