Japanese matcha for Los Angeles.
Japanese matcha for Los Angeles cafes, boba shops, tea shops, and restaurants, from the San Gabriel Valley and Koreatown to Sawtelle and Silver Lake. Free sample kits let you test two grades in your own drinks first; wholesale orders are milled to order in Japan and shipped to your Los Angeles address with customs handled, from 5 kg, with origin, harvest, cultivar, lot number, and milling date on every bag.
Who we supply in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is the most crowded matcha market in the country. Many US matcha brands are based here, customers know what a good cup looks like, and a cafe competing on matcha is competing against shops that already source from Japan. The volume is spread across very different neighborhoods: boba and dessert corridors in the San Gabriel Valley (Alhambra, San Gabriel, Arcadia, Rowland Heights), Koreatown, Little Tokyo and Sawtelle Japantown, and specialty coffee in Silver Lake, Echo Park, the Arts District, and the Westside.
- Specialty cafes that need a grade distinct enough to stand out in a market full of matcha menus.
- Boba and dessert chains in the San Gabriel Valley that buy on volume, color, and cost per cup.
- Japanese restaurants and tea houses in Little Tokyo and Sawtelle serving usucha.
- Beverage and DTC brands that want a documented Japanese origin behind their label.
Samples and wholesale delivery
For a Los Angeles cafe, boba shop, or restaurant, there is nothing to import. Sample kits go out by USPS after we reply, usually within 24 hours. Wholesale orders are milled to order in Japan and shipped to your address anywhere in Los Angeles County with customs handled on our side. Lead time is 7 to 14 days from payment.
- Samples: up to two grades, two sealed 10 g sachets each, sent by USPS to any Los Angeles food or beverage business.
- Wholesale orders: from 5 kg, grades mixed as you like in 500 g bags, delivered to your shop or commissary.
- Several locations: a boba group with shops across the San Gabriel Valley can split one delivery by the bag.
- Prices: published per kilogram by grade and delivered with duties included — see the pricing guide.
- Container scale: only distributors importing on their own account deal with the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach or LAX air cargo.
Permits and licensing
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health permits food establishments across the county, including the City of Los Angeles. Pasadena, Long Beach, and Vernon run their own health departments, so a cafe in those cities permits locally. This is a summary, not legal advice.
- Serving matcha drinks falls under your local health permit.
- Storing, repacking, or selling bagged matcha under your own name moves you into California Department of Public Health registration and labeling rules.
- Proposition 65 applies to food sold in California. A lot-level certificate of analysis covering heavy metals is available on request; see our California page for what to keep on file.
Local LA stock or a lot milled in Japan
Los Angeles has matcha importers with local stock within driving distance, and some national wholesalers now limit new accounts. A local importer is the right call if you need product tomorrow, want to pick up in person, or top up under a kilogram at a time. Buying direct from Japan is the right call if you want to taste the exact lot before ordering, want each bag to state its origin, harvest, cultivar, lot number, and milling date, and can plan 7 to 14 days ahead. Because orders are milled after you pay, the powder has not been sitting in a US warehouse, and with a published price per kilogram and a 5 kg minimum you are not waiting for a new-account slot.
In a city where half the menus already say "ceremonial grade from Japan", being specific is what still sets a cup apart: the prefecture, the cultivar, the harvest. Pick grades by menu: Ceremonial Barista, or Uji Ceremonial Barista for more depth, for lattes; Organic Cafe for boba and flavored drinks at volume; Super Ceremonial or Premium Ceremonial for straight usucha. If you are replacing a current supplier, taste our samples side by side with it in your own latte; our switching guide covers what else to check.
Your first order, step by step
Start with up to two grades of your choice. Free sample kits are available for US businesses. Test them in your own recipes before choosing your first wholesale order.
- Tell us what you serve. Share your menu, milk, cup size, and expected volume.
- Taste with your team. Compare the samples in the drinks your customers order.
- Get a delivery quote. Confirm grade, quantity, and shipping to Los Angeles. Wholesale orders ship from Japan.
Los Angeles matcha wholesale FAQ
How do Los Angeles cafes get matcha samples?
Choose up to two grades; we reply within 24 hours and ship the kit by USPS. Each kit is up to two grades of your choice, two sealed 10 g sachets each, labeled with origin, harvest, cultivar, lot number, and milling date. Free for Los Angeles food and beverage businesses.
Is there a Los Angeles warehouse or local stock?
No. Wholesale orders are milled to order in Japan and delivered to your Los Angeles address with customs handled, in 7 to 14 days from payment. If you need same-day pickup or very small top-ups, a local importer is the better fit, and it can also serve as a backup.
Which matcha grade should an LA cafe or boba shop use?
For lattes, Ceremonial Barista, or Uji Ceremonial Barista for more depth. For boba and flavored drinks at volume, Organic Cafe. For straight matcha, Super Ceremonial or Premium Ceremonial. Sample the two closest to your menu and compare them with what you use now.
Do we have to import through the Port of Los Angeles or Long Beach ourselves?
No. Cafe-scale orders are shipped to your address with customs handled on our side, from 5 kg. The ports and LAX air cargo matter only if you are a distributor importing pallet or container volume on your own account.
Who issues food permits in Los Angeles?
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health covers the county, including the City of Los Angeles. Pasadena, Long Beach, and Vernon run their own health departments.
Supplying matcha to Los Angeles
Tell us what you serve and where in Los Angeles you are. We send two grades free by USPS, and we quote your wholesale order delivered to your address.