Matcha Prices in 2025 – A Transparent Conversation
Why Matcha Prices Have Risen in 2025: An Open Note to Our Tea Community
At Tea Repertoire, our purpose has always been to share the beauty of authentic tea culture and to bring you the finest teas from the tea growing regions around the world.
This year, many of you may have noticed something different — the rising cost of matcha from Japan. We would like to share with you, openly and sincerely, the story behind these changes: why they have happened, what it means for the future, and how we remain committed to serving you with integrity and care.
A Perfect Storm: Demand and Supply in 2025
In 2025, matcha has become more cherished worldwide than ever before. Yet, while demand has soared, supply has become more fragile. The result has been an unprecedented surge in matcha prices — not simply from inflation, but from a rare convergence of global and local challenges.
Soaring Global Demand
From matcha lattes in New York to fine desserts in Paris, matcha has captured the world’s imagination. Social media and wellness culture have introduced this vibrant green powder to a new generation seeking a mindful, antioxidant-rich alternative to coffee.
Matcha is no longer just a traditional drink — it has become a staple in wellness, beauty, and culinary innovation. Global demand has never been higher.
Fragile Supply in Japan
While more people are falling in love with matcha, the heart of production remains concentrated in Japan, where authentic ceremonial matcha is still grown and crafted with extraordinary care. Here, however, several pressures are limiting supply:
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Climate change: Regions such as Kyoto — especially Uji, birthplace of the most prestigious matcha — have endured harsher weather, including heatwaves and unpredictable rains. Harvest yields have dropped by 20–25%, with Uji particularly affected compared to Kagoshima and Shizuoka.
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An aging workforce: Cultivating and producing matcha is labor-intensive, requiring great skill. Fewer young artisans are entering the fields, making it harder to sustain traditional methods.
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Rising costs: Fertilizers, packaging, labor, and logistics costs have all increased, adding pressure before the leaves even reach the mill.
Record Auction Prices
This spring, Japanese tea auctions saw unprecedented intensity. Producers and buyers competed fiercely for the limited supply of first-flush tencha — the shaded leaves milled into ceremonial-grade matcha.
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Prices for Uji tencha more than doubled compared to last year.
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Some rare cultivars surged by over 250%.
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Overall, leading producers raised wholesale matcha prices by 100–150%.
At Tea Repertoire, we have absorbed a significant portion of these increases ourselves. Still, we needed to adjust our pricing so that we can continue sourcing authentic, freshly milled matcha directly from Japan’s most respected artisans.
Will Matcha Prices Ever Fall Again?
It’s natural to hope for a return to “normal.” Yet, matcha prices rarely reverse once they climb. Here’s why:
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Time and cultivation: Establishing a new tea garden and producing high-quality tencha takes years, often decades.
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Skilled labor shortages: Japan’s tea-farming community is aging, and younger generations are limited.
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Enduring demand: Global appreciation for authentic matcha continues to rise, particularly for premium ceremonial grades.
In truth, matcha will likely remain a rare treasure, valued for its craftsmanship, heritage, and cultural significance.
What This Means for You
We understand that these changes may feel discouraging. But here is the heartening perspective: when you prepare a bowl of ceremonial matcha, you are taking part in something precious — supporting centuries of tradition, sustaining artisanal skill, and honoring the cultural legacy of Japanese tea.
At Tea Repertoire, our commitment to you remains unchanged:
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Curating with integrity: We source only from Japan’s most respected tea gardens, ensuring that every matcha you receive is authentic, freshly milled, and uncompromising in quality.
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Offering flexibility: With different pack sizes, you can still explore and enjoy exceptional matcha in a way that suits your lifestyle.
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Introducing alternatives: Japanese tea powders such as Genmaicha, Hojicha, and Kamairicha offer artisanal quality, delightful flavor, and excellent value — perfect companions to your daily tea ritual.
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Exploring new gardens: While Uji has seen the steepest increases, we are delighted to introduce remarkable matcha from Kagoshima, secured during our spring 2025 sourcing trip to Japan.
Our Promise
Though prices have risen, our values remain unchanged. We will never compromise on quality, authenticity, freshness or the cultural heritage that makes matcha so extraordinary. We will continue to source with honesty, care and deep respect for the traditions that shape each bowl of matcha, as we've always been doing.
When you prepare your matcha, you are not only nourishing yourself — you are also helping to sustain the artisans, gardens, and heritage that make this tea possible.
It is a privilege for us to share this journey with you. Thank you for allowing Tea Repertoire to be part of your tea rituals and for joining us in keeping the culture and tradition of artisanal Japanese tea alive for the future.
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