What Encha does

Encha (operating under Elevate Brands OpCo LLC, a Delaware LLC) is a direct-to-consumer organic matcha brand founded in November 2014 by Li Gong. The company sources shade-grown tencha leaves from organic farms in Uji (Kyoto), Kagoshima, Miyazaki, and Shizuoka, Japan through 12-year direct farm partnerships, and stone-grinds the leaves into matcha powder. Its product portfolio is structured around three core grades — Ceremonial, Ceremonial Latte, and Barista — differentiated by harvest timing and flavor profile, plus flavored/functional variants (Reishi Mushroom, Vanilla, Keto Collagen, Lightly Sweet, Lavender) and limited-edition single-origin reserves featuring Saemidori and Okumidori heritage cultivars.

The core technology is traditional Japanese tea processing: hand-picking first-harvest leaves, stone-grinding into fine powder, USDA Organic certification, and a three-tier grade system that optimizes each SKU for a specific preparation method. There is no proprietary software platform or AI component; differentiation is rooted in agricultural sourcing expertise and supply-chain transparency rather than technology IP.

Encha generates revenue through three streams: (1) one-time and subscription e-commerce sales via encha.com (subscriptions offer up to 15% savings with monthly/bi-monthly auto-delivery), (2) B2B wholesale to cafes, restaurants, and retailers through [email protected], and (3) third-party marketplace sales including Amazon. Unit pricing spans $14.99 (Barista 30g) to $39.99 (limited-edition single-origin 40g). The company is bootstrapped with no disclosed external funding rounds, sells primarily in the US domestic market, and maintains a content-driven marketing strategy across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, an educational blog, and affiliate/referral programs via Impact.com.

Name

Encha

Legal name

Elevate Brands OpCo LLC

Website

https://encha.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Encha is a US-based direct-to-consumer organic matcha brand founded in 2014, selling stone-ground ceremonial, latte, and barista-grade matcha powders sourced from 12-year direct farm partnerships in Uji, Kagoshima, Miyazaki, and Shizuoka, Japan via e-commerce, subscription, wholesale, and Amazon channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Tea / Premium Matcha

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Tea Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Coffee & Tea (Single-Origin, Micro-lot, Premium) Processing (AFAFADAJ), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)

Keywords

• Organic matcha powder
• Japanese green tea
• Matcha subscription
• Ceremonial grade tea
• Matcha latte blends

Headquarters

HQ city

San Jose

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: E-commerce sales of matcha powder products across three grade tiers and specialty blends through encha.com. One-time purchases and subscription models available. Includes ceremonial grade, latte grade, barista grade, and specialty blends.
2. Wholesale B2B: Wholesale program for cafes, restaurants, and retailers to purchase Encha matcha products for resale or commercial use.
3. Subscription Program: Recurring subscription model with 15% savings for auto-shipped matcha products. Delivered monthly or bi-monthly. Excludes international due to shipping costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Encha sources, processes, and sells premium organic matcha green tea powder from Uji, Japan. The company offers three core grades (Ceremonial, Latte, Barista) plus specialty functional blends, sold directly to consumers through encha.com with subscription and wholesale options.

Product overview

Encha is an organic matcha green tea company founded in 2014, specializing in premium ceremonial, latte, and barista-grade matcha powders sourced from Uji, Japan. The product portfolio centers around three core matcha grades: Ceremonial Grade Matcha (for traditional hot water preparation), Ceremonial Grade Latte Matcha (for milk-based lattes), and Barista Grade Matcha (for café-quality beverages and culinary uses). These are complemented by flavored latte variants including Reishi Mushroom, Vanilla, Keto Collagen, Lightly Sweetened, and Lavender. The company also releases limited edition single-origin reserves featuring heritage cultivars like Saemidori and Okumidori. All products share core attributes of being USDA Organic certified, first-harvest, shade-grown, and stone-ground. Encha offers a subscription service for recurring deliveries with up to 15% savings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Encha Ceremonial Grade Matcha Powder Premium organic matcha powder ground from first-harvest leaves sourced directly from Uji, Japan. Designed for traditional ceremonial-style preparation with hot water. Features smooth, full-bodied, delicately grassy flavor with no bitterness. Available in 30g, 60g, and 500g sizes plus single-serve sticks.
• Encha Ceremonial Grade Latte Matcha Powder Organic latte-grade matcha powder crafted from first-harvest tencha leaves in Uji, Japan. Specifically balanced for creamy matcha lattes with dairy or plant-based milk. Features a bolder flavor than ceremonial grade for optimal milk pairing. Available in 30g, 60g, and 500g sizes plus single-serve sticks.
• Encha Matcha Barista Grade Latte Organic Matcha Powder Precision-blended organic matcha from Japan's summer and autumn harvests. Crafted for café-quality matcha lattes at home and beginner-friendly for newcomers, bakers, home cooks, and baristas. Features lightly nutty, gently toasted flavor with chocolate and sweet grass notes. Available in 30g, 60g, and 500g sizes.
• Encha Matcha Latte Powder - Reishi Mushroom Matcha reishi blend featuring Hokkaido reishi mushrooms with beta-glucans and ganoderic acids. Supports whole-body wellness with smooth, vibrant Japanese matcha flavor. Unsweetened, dairy-free, sugar-free with no artificial flavors or additives. 60g (30 cups) for $24.95.
• Encha Matcha Latte Powder - Vanilla Matcha Latte-grade Japanese vanilla matcha crafted from 100% tea leaves harvested each spring from Japan. Smooth, vibrant green tea powder that blends effortlessly into daily routines with water and frothed milk. 60g (30 cups) for $26.95.
• Encha Matcha Latte Powder - Keto Collagen Matcha Powder Latte-grade collagen matcha combining 100% Japanese tea leaves with collagen protein. Designed for keto dieters seeking steady, crash-free energy with mental clarity. 150g (23 cups).
• Encha Matcha Latte Powder Sweetened - Lightly Sweet Matcha Powder Latte-grade matcha with subtle sweetness pre-added, crafted from 100% spring-harvested Japanese tea leaves. Offers sweet, earthy latte experience without need for added sugar. Available in 150g and 500g sizes.
• Encha Matcha Latte Powder - Lavender Matcha Lavender-infused matcha latte powder crafted from 100% first-harvest Japanese tea leaves. Blends effortlessly with water and frothed milk for an earthy, aromatic drink with antioxidants and sustained energy.
• Encha Matcha Tea Saemidori Limited Edition Reserve Limited edition ceremonial grade matcha from the Saemidori cultivar. Single origin sourced exclusively from Kagoshima, Japan, never blended. Features delicate floral and sweet-grass flavor profile with soft floral notes and sweet grassy finish. Stone-milled for ceremonial excellence. $39.99 per tin, limited to 500 tins.
• Encha Matcha Tea Okumidori Limited Edition Reserve Limited edition ceremonial grade matcha from the Okumidori cultivar. Features deep, rich, earthy flavor with notes of dark chocolate, toasted nuts, and refined umami finish. Rare first harvest cultivar crafted for pure preparation. $39.99 per tin.
• Encha Matcha Subscription Program Recurring delivery subscription service allowing customers to receive regular shipments of their preferred Encha matcha grade. Subscribe & Save offers up to 15% discount with automatic monthly or bi-monthly delivery, free standard shipping included. Customers can edit delivery date, frequency, quantity, skip deliveries, or cancel anytime.
• Encha Wholesale Program Wholesale purchasing program for cafes, restaurants, and retailers to buy Encha matcha products for resale or commercial beverage preparation. Contact via [email protected] to set up a partnership account.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6 hours of clean energy without crash
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Uji Organic Tea FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirect 12-year farm partnerships with organic tea growers in Uji region of Kyoto prefecture, Japan. Farmers use traditional cultivation methods without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. First harvest leaves are hand-picked each spring for premium ceremonial grade matcha.
• Kagoshima Tea FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirect farm partnership in Kagoshima region for single-origin matcha production. Sources limited edition heritage cultivars like Saemidori and Okumidori for specialty reserve products.
• Miyazaki Tea FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Miyazaki prefecture farms for single-origin limited edition matcha. Products are never blended, sourced exclusively from Miyazaki region.
• Shizuoka Tea FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-region sourcing from Shizuoka prefecture to complement Uji production and provide geographic variety in matcha sourcing.
• Hokkaido Reishi Mushroom SuppliersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSourcing of Hokkaido reishi mushrooms for functional matcha blend product line. Hokkaido reishi selected for clean, authentic taste in Reishi Mushroom Matcha latte powder.
• Impact.com (Affiliate Platform)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliate marketing partnership through Impact.com platform enabling influencers and partners to earn commissions by promoting Encha matcha products.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Naoki Matcha: Premium single-origin Japanese matcha brand targeting U.S. consumers with ceremonial grade products sourced directly from family farms. Direct peer competing in the same premium Japanese matcha segment with comparable sourcing and storytelling.
• MatchaBar (Motto): Cafe chain and packaged matcha brand pioneering U.S. matcha retail and cafe culture. Direct peer in bringing matcha mainstream to U.S. consumers with retail product lines that overlap Encha's ceremonial/latte grades.
• Mizuba Tea Co. U.S.-based DTC premium matcha brand sourcing single-origin, first-harvest leaves from Uji, Japan. Direct peer competing for the same ceremonial-grade enthusiast segment with comparable farm-direct sourcing narrative and e-commerce distribution.
• Jade Leaf Matcha: Premium DTC matcha brand sourcing from Uji, Japan with a similar ceremonial/latte/barista grade structure and U.S.-based e-commerce model. Direct competitor for health-conscious U.S. consumers seeking organic Japanese matcha with comparable price points.
• Ippodo Tea Co. Heritage Japanese tea maker (founded 1717, Kyoto) shipping directly from Uji with ceremonial-grade matcha and broader Japanese tea portfolio. Direct peer with deeper category authenticity and global recognition, competing for the same ceremonial matcha buyer.
• Cuzen Matcha: Premium matcha brand emphasizing single-origin Japanese sourcing and ceremonial-grade quality for the U.S. DTC market. Direct peer in the premium matcha category with overlapping consumer segment and storytelling.
• Tenzo Tea: DTC matcha brand offering ceremonial, latte, and culinary grades for cafes and consumers. Competes directly with Encha's Barista grade in the cafe/wholesale channel and on e-commerce for premium home consumers.

Broad incumbents

• Ito En (Oi Ocha / Matcha Lines): Largest Japanese tea company globally, with RTD bottled teas and matcha product lines distributed through U.S. retail and foodservice. Broad incumbent with matcha offerings that compete at mass-market price points versus Encha's premium positioning.
• Republic of Tea: Specialty tea company offering premium teas including matcha variants through DTC and wholesale channels. Broader incumbent with similar health-conscious consumer target but wider tea portfolio and longer operating history.
• Harney & Sons: Established U.S. premium tea brand with broad portfolio including matcha offerings, sold DTC and through wholesale/hospitality channels. Broader incumbent with overlapping matcha product but operating across all tea categories, not specialized in Japanese matcha.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCtKqKAegOn9rNq5d-Yk6fPA/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/EnchaOrganicMatcha
• Instagraminstagram.com/enchamatcha
• TikToktiktok.com/@enchamatcha

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Encha