Organic Matcha: Why the Best Matcha Isn’t Always Organic

When most people see the words organic matcha or organic coffee, they immediately assume “better for health, better for the planet, and probably better tasting.” The idea is powerful: no chemicals, no pesticides, only natural goodness.

But in reality, both the Japanese tea world and the global coffee industry show a very different picture. The best matcha and the most celebrated specialty coffees are often not organic . And the reason lies in how modern certification systems collide with traditional, flavor-driven farming.

In Japan, getting certified as organic matcha is not just about how you grow the tea leaves. The entire chain has to meet strict organic standards:

• The tea field (no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides for at least three years).

• The aracha factory (first processing of tea leaves).

• The refining plant (sorting and blending).

• The stone-mill workshop (grinding into powder).

• The packaging facility.

If even one step is not certified, the final product cannot legally be sold as organic matcha.

This structure fits big tea estates and industrial-scale companies. But it excludes the small farmers and stone-mill workshops that actually make Japan’s best matcha.

Most Japanese tea farmers own just a few acres. They often run family plots that have been managed for generations. For them, organic certification is nearly impossible:

• High costs : yearly inspections, paperwork, testing.

• Small scale : yields are too low to justify certification fees.

• No clear return : the Japanese domestic market does not pay much more for organic tea.

Even if the farm qualifies, the stone-mill workshop is the real bottleneck. Traditional mills cannot simply set up a separate “organic-only” line — they would need new facilities, separate storage, and new certifications. For a family business with thirty granite mills in one room, this is unthinkable.

The result: even if the tea is grown naturally, the finished product cannot carry the organic matcha label.

Flavor is another key reason why organic matcha is rare.

The hallmark of high-grade ceremonial matcha is umami — the rich, savory sweetness created by high levels of amino acids (especially L-theanine). To achieve this, farmers shade the tea plants for weeks before harvest and apply nitrogen precisely to help the leaves accumulate these compounds.

Organic fertilizers release nitrogen slowly and unpredictably. This makes it very difficult to reach the same amino acid levels under Japan’s short shading period. The outcome is often a lighter, more bitter tea — fine for drinking, but not the thick, velvety matcha used in traditional tea ceremonies.

So while organic matcha may sound appealing, it usually does not meet the flavor expectations of high-end tea lovers.

Coffee faces the exact same issue.

To sell coffee as organic coffee, the farm, washing station, dry mill, exporter, and roaster all need organic certification. The chain must be unbroken, just like in matcha.

Large cooperatives or estates can manage this, but for small farmers in Ethiopia, Yemen, or Colombia, it’s unrealistic. They may farm naturally, without pesticides or fertilizers, but they cannot afford the paperwork and inspections.

Market Reality

• Organic coffee : More common in supermarkets (Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s). It fits the health-conscious mainstream shopper.

• Specialty coffee : Focused on altitude, varietal, processing method, and cupping score. Coffee professionals care more about flavor notes like “jasmine, bergamot, peach” than about an organic sticker.

Organic fertilizers also release nutrients more slowly in coffee. That can reduce bean density and affect flavor complexity. For farms chasing 87+ point specialty scores, precision nutrition is more important than a certification label.

So in both industries, organic labels do not guarantee the best taste.

The deeper issue is that modern organic standards are industrial systems , designed for large farms and global supply chains.

But the best matcha and the best coffee come from smallholder farms, traditional methods, and artisanal processing .

• In Shizuoka, Japan, the Chagusaba system uses cut grass to enrich tea fields, improving soil and flavor. It’s a UNESCO-recognized heritage farming method, deeply sustainable — yet not automatically “organic.”

• In Ethiopia, many coffee farmers intercrop with native forest plants, essentially practicing “organic by default” agriculture — but without certification.

Both cases show the same truth: tradition and craftsmanship are the real standards of quality, not industrial labels. 

If you are choosing between organic matcha and non-organic, or between organic coffee and specialty coffee, here are the key points:

1. Safety is Guaranteed

   • Both matcha and coffee must pass strict residue tests before export. Non-organic does not mean unsafe.

2. Flavor Is Not About Labels

   • The richest matcha comes from shaded fields and stone mills. The most complex coffee comes from precise fermentation and careful roasting. Neither depends on “organic” certification.

3. Small Farms Are the True Source of Quality

   • Many of the best teas and coffees come from family-run plots too small to afford certification, but their quality often surpasses industrial organic products.

4. Organic Matcha and Organic Coffee Are Market Labels

   • These labels help in health-focused retail channels, but they are not the defining measure of quality in the world of tea or coffee.

Organic matcha and organic coffee are valuable categories, especially for health-conscious consumers. But the real story is that the most flavorful, most traditional, and most authentic products often live outside these labels.

Just as coffee professionals trust a farm’s varietal and processing more than a certification, tea lovers know that matcha’s excellence comes from shading, amino acids, and stone milling.

So when you pick your next tin of matcha or bag of coffee, remember: labels are modern standards, but flavor comes from tradition. 

Explore our ceremonial matcha collection , stone-milled in Japan and crafted for true umami.