REDMOND, Wash., U.S.— With greater demand for high quality and authentic Organic Japanese matcha than ever, Sugimoto Tea Company (formerly Sugimoto America) is excited to announce that it has greatly increased its production capabilities by building a second factory in Shizuoka, Japan. The factory was officially opened with a ceremony on Feb. 11, 2019.
With this factory Sugimoto Tea Company will increase its production capabilities by 50 percent and become capable of doing more blended teas in Japan.
Since third generation tea maker and Sugimoto Tea Company president Kyohei Sugimoto moved to the U.S. in 2005 to bring his family’s tea to U.S. consumers, demand for Japanese green tea has continued to grow substantially – especially for Japanese matcha. Between 2005 and 2018, Japan’s exports of green tea to the US climbed from a mere 352 tons to an incredible 1,758 tons, a nearly 500 percent increase over 13 years.
“This is an exciting moment in time for the Sugimoto Tea Company, my family, and the Japanese tea industry,” said Sugimoto. “Demand has been so high for Japanese matcha and Organic matcha in particular, that the Japanese tea industry has been unable to produce enough. With this new factory we will be capable of being more responsive to the high international consumer demand.”
Founded in 1946 by Zenichi Sugimoto, Sugimoto Seicha (Sugimoto Tea Company’s Japanese headquarters) has been a pioneer in producing consumer favorite loose leaf Japanese green teas and matcha and with Sugimoto Tea Company was one of the first Japanese producers to gain JONA Organic Certification in order to bring certified Organic matcha and other green teas to the international market.
