Sugimoto Tea

What Sugimoto Tea does

Sugimoto Tea Company (originally Sugimoto Seicha) is a family-owned Japanese green tea producer founded in 1946 by Zenichi Sugimoto in Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. The company manufactures and supplies authentic Japanese green teas including matcha (ceremonial and culinary grades), Sencha Fukamushi (deep-steamed sencha), Gyokuro, Hojicha, Genmaicha, Kukicha, and rare organic Wakoucha (Japanese black tea), along with an extensive teaware collection. Its core production technology centers on a proprietary high-temperature roasting (hi-ire) technique for Sencha Fukamushi that requires special mountain-grown leaves sourced directly from Shizuoka farmers, alongside the traditional Temomi hand-rolling technique preserved by aging artisans. The business operates as a vertically integrated producer with in-house production rather than co-packing, supported by certifications including FSSC22000, Organic, Non-GMO, KSA Kosher, and UN-FAO GIAHS recognition.

The company sells primarily through direct-to-consumer e-commerce via sugimotousa.com and shop.sugimotousa.com, targeting individual tea enthusiasts and health-conscious consumers globally, and operates a US branch founded in 2004 by Kyohei Sugimoto. A wholesale and private-label channel serves businesses, cafes, and hospitality customers seeking bulk supply of matcha and other teas. Pricing is structured by product tier, ranging from $18 for Organic Daily Matcha (2oz) to $60 for Gyokuro (0.5lb), with bulk, sachet, stick, and latte-mix formats. Marketing is anchored by a 37-page educational blog covering tea guides, brewing instructions, recipes, and Japanese culture, supported by organic social media presence and SEO.

Now in its third generation of family leadership (with Masaaki Sugimoto overseeing blending in Shizuoka and Kyohei Sugimoto leading US operations), the company competes on craft heritage, multi-generational expertise, farm-direct sourcing transparency, and certification-driven trust. Its growth levers include product line expansion (Sugimoto Reserve premium tier, Daily Wellness Matcha, latte mixes, teaware), wholesale/private-label services, and continued international e-commerce. No external investors, funding rounds, or institutional capital are involved; the business is entirely family-controlled and self-funded.

Name

Sugimoto Tea

Legal name

Sugimoto Tea Company

Website

https://sugimotousa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sugimoto Tea Company is a family-owned Japanese green tea producer founded in 1946 in Shizuoka, Japan, selling authentic matcha, sencha, gyokuro, and other teas via direct-to-consumer e-commerce and wholesale channels to global consumers and businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Japanese Green Tea

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Tea Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tea (Leaf, Bagged, Instant, Concentrates) (CRADAHAE), Specialty Coffee & Tea (Single-Origin, Micro-lot, Premium) Processing (AFAFADAJ)

Keywords

• Japanese green tea
• Matcha products
• Wholesale tea supply
• Sencha varieties
• Private label tea

Headquarters

HQ city

Redmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Retail E-commerce: The company sells tea products directly to consumers through their e-commerce website (sugimousa.com and shop.sugimotousa.com), offering products in various formats including loose leaf, powder, tea bags, sticks, and teaware.
2. Wholesale & Bulk Supply: Sugimoto offers wholesale accounts for businesses including bulk supply of matcha and other teas for commercial customers.
3. Private Label Services: The company provides private label services for matcha and other teas, allowing businesses to brand Sugimoto products as their own.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sugimoto Tea Company manufactures and supplies authentic Japanese green tea products, including matcha (ceremonial, daily, culinary), sencha, gyokuro, hojicha, genmaicha, kukicha, and Japanese black tea (wakoucha), offered in loose leaf, powder, sachet, stick, and tea bag formats. The company sells through direct-to-consumer e-commerce, operates wholesale bulk supply accounts for businesses, and provides private label services for matcha and other teas.

Product overview

Sugimoto Tea Company is a family-run Japanese green tea producer founded in 1946, offering authentic Japanese green teas through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform. The product portfolio centers on premium Japanese teas including ceremonial and culinary matchas (Organic Ceremonial Matcha Yui, Organic Daily Matcha, Premium Matcha Ura, Sugimoto Reserve Ceremonial Matcha Mizuki), sencha varieties (Sencha Fukamushi, Sugimoto Reserve Sencha Homare, Sakura Sencha), shaded teas (Gyokuro Shizuku, Kabusecha), roasted teas (Hojicha, Hojicha Latte), genmaicha, kukicha, and organic wakoucha (Japanese black tea). Products are available in multiple formats including powder, loose leaf, sachets, sticks, and tea bags. The company also offers an extensive teaware collection featuring Takayama Chasen (matcha whisks), matcha bowls (chawan), teapots (kyusu, houhin, shiboridashi), cold brewing equipment, and artisanal accessories. Products are organized under sub-brands including Sugimoto Reserve (premium offerings), Daily Wellness Matcha, Organic Teas, and TeaPacs. The company emphasizes ethical and sustainable sourcing with farm-direct relationships, organic farming practices, and certifications including FSSC22000, Organic, Non-GMO, Kosher, and GIAHS recognition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sugimoto Reserve: Premium tea collection featuring the highest quality Japanese green teas
• Daily Wellness Matcha
• Takayama Chasen

Products and services

• Organic Daily Matcha Versatile organic matcha designed for everyday enjoyment, suitable for traditional whisked tea or culinary creations including lattes, smoothies, desserts, and baking. Nitrogen flushed and vacuum sealed in resealable foil pouch.
• Organic Ceremonial Matcha Yui Premium organic ceremonial matcha selected for luminous color, smooth texture, and balanced expression of umami and natural sweetness, designed for traditional usucha preparation.
• Ceremonial Matcha Kochi Luxurious ceremonial matcha offering for traditional preparation.
• Premium Matcha Ura High-grade culinary matcha for premium tea experiences and cooking applications.
• Sugimoto Reserve Ceremonial Matcha Mizuki Premium ceremonial matcha from the Sugimoto Reserve collection representing the highest quality offerings.
• Organic Culinary Matcha Organic matcha powder suitable for culinary and everyday use in cooking and beverages.
• Organic Culinary Matcha Sticks Convenient matcha sticks for on-the-go preparation.
• Sencha Fukamushi Sugimoto's signature deep-steamed sencha, their specialty and Japan's favorite variety of Japanese green tea, made with high-temperature roasting (hi-ire) technique.
• Sencha Fukamushi Sachets Sugimoto's signature sencha in tea bag format in a resealable bag.
• Sugimoto Reserve Sencha Homare The pride of the Sugimoto family, premium sencha from the reserve collection.
• Single-Cultivar Sencha Yamakai Single estate, single cultivar sencha offering distinctive terroir expression.
• Organic Icho Sencha Limited quantity withered Japanese green tea with distinctive flavor profile.
• Sakura Sencha Special tea blend made with sencha and real Japanese sakura blossoms and leaves.
• Sencha Large Tea Bags Large sencha tea bags in bulk format.
• Organic Sencha with Matcha Sachets Premium organic matcha sencha in compostable tea bags.
• Sugimoto Reserve Gyokuro Shizuku A traditional gyokuro (shaded green tea) with intense umami from the Sugimoto Reserve collection.
• Genmaicha with Matcha Fragrant and emerald matcha genmaicha in a resealable bag.
• Hojicha (Loose Leaf) High roasted traditional style hojicha in a resealable bag.
• Kukicha (Loose Leaf) Sugimoto's relaxing kukicha (twig tea) in a resealable bag.
• Organic Wakoucha (Japanese Black Tea) Rare organic Japanese black tea crafted from Yabukita and Shizu-7132 cultivars grown in Fujieda and Kawane, Shizuoka, with floral honey aroma and malty sweetness.
• Yuzu Matcha Kukicha Delicious umami flavor combined with tart yuzu sweetness.
• Single-Cultivar Kabusecha Sae Midori Single-cultivar kabusecha (shaded green tea) with distinct cultivar character.
• Organic Kuwacha Organic mulberry leaf powder for wellness teas.
• Organic Matcha Latte Mix Ready-to-prepare matcha latte mix for cafe-quality beverages at home.
• Organic Hojicha Latte Mix Ready-to-prepare hojicha latte mix for cafe-quality beverages at home.
• Organic Hojicha Powder Organic roasted green tea powder for easy preparation.
• Genmaicha Powder Powdered genmaicha for easy brewing or cooking.
• Kukicha Sachets Relaxing kukicha tea bags in a resealable bag.
• Genmaicha with Matcha Sachets Fragrant and emerald matcha genmaicha tea bags in a resealable bag.
• Hojicha Sachets Sugimoto's favorite hojicha tea bags in a resealable bag.
• Organic Genmaicha with Matcha Sachets Organic matcha genmaicha in compostable tea bags.
• Organic Hojicha Sachets Organic hojicha in compostable tea bags.
• Organic Yuzu Kukicha with Matcha Sachets Premium organic yuzu matcha kukicha in compostable tea bags.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ito En (North America): Ito En is the largest Japanese tea company in North America, with a broad portfolio of bottled teas, matcha, and sencha products sold through mass retail. It overlaps with Sugimoto in matcha and green tea CPG but operates at substantially larger scale with mainstream distribution.
• Yamamotoyama: Yamamotoyama is a long-established Japanese tea and seaweed producer with US retail presence in nori and green tea. It is a broader incumbent that overlaps with Sugimoto in Japanese green tea but operates across multiple packaged-food categories at scale.

Direct peers

• Tenzo Tea: Tenzo is a US DTC matcha brand emphasizing organic sourcing and cafe-channel presence. It is a direct peer competing for the same matcha-drinking and wellness-oriented consumer segment as Sugimoto.
• Encha: Encha is a US DTC organic Japanese matcha brand offering ceremonial, culinary, and latte-grade matcha. It competes head-to-head with Sugimoto in the premium organic matcha e-commerce channel and for cafe supply.
• DoMatcha: DoMatcha is a US-based Japanese matcha brand (sister to Aiya) selling ceremonial, culinary, and food-service-grade matcha. It competes with Sugimoto across both retail and wholesale/private label channels.
• Jade Leaf Matcha: Jade Leaf is a US-based Japanese matcha brand selling ceremonial, culinary, and latte SKUs through e-commerce and wholesale. It is a direct peer competing on similar product formats and price points to Sugimoto.
• Mizuba Tea Co. Mizuba is a US-based DTC Japanese matcha and green tea brand sourcing from Uji. It directly competes with Sugimoto in premium organic matcha for American consumers and cafes, with a similar brand story centered on authentic Japanese origin.
• Aiya America: Aiya is Japan's largest matcha producer with US operations supplying bulk and private label tea. It is a direct peer to Sugimoto in matcha manufacturing, wholesale, and private label services for North American customers.
• Ippodo Tea: Ippodo is a long-established Kyoto-based Japanese tea brand selling matcha, sencha, and gyokuro direct-to-consumer internationally. It is the closest heritage-grade analog to Sugimoto in authentic Japanese tea retail outside Japan.
• Marukyu Koyamaen: Marukyu Koyamaen is a long-established Uji-based premium matcha manufacturer selling ceremonial-grade matcha internationally. It overlaps with Sugimoto's Reserve line in high-end ceremonial matcha for connoisseurs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sugimotoamerica

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 Sugimoto Tea