Product Guide

Terra Matcha Product Usage Guide

A practical B2B guide to choosing between matcha and hojicha grades (A-Series 1A-7A, Uji1-4, Hojicha3-3) with detailed usage methods, recipes and dosage charts.

📅 September 19, 2026⏱️ ~12 min read🏷️ Matcha, Hojicha, Wholesale, B2B

If you run a café, a bakery, or a beverage brand, you've probably asked these questions: Which matcha grade do I actually need? Is ceremonial grade worth it for lattes? And what exactly is hojicha — is it just "roasted matcha"?

The short answer: matcha and hojicha are two completely different products, made from the same tea plant but processed in opposite directions — one shade-grown and stone-ground for umami, the other roasted for caramel, nutty warmth and low caffeine.

This guide breaks down every grade we supply — from industrial color-grade matcha to top ceremonial grades and all three hojicha roast levels — with concrete usage methods, recipes, and dosage charts you can put to work immediately.

1. What Is Matcha?

Matcha is a fine powder made from tencha: tea leaves that are shade-grown for 12–24 days before harvest. Shading boosts chlorophyll (the vivid green color) and L-theanine (the sweet umami), while suppressing bitterness. The leaves are then steamed, dried without rolling, and stone-ground at low temperature into a micro-fine powder.

What separates real matcha from ordinary green tea powder:

• Shade cultivation → seaweed-like umami aroma (the famous "nori" note)
• No rolling, no roasting → the green color and amino acids stay intact
• Fine grading → particles of 5–10 microns in premium grades, silky texture, no grit

The higher the grade, the longer the shading, the younger the leaf, the finer the grind — and the more the flavor profile shifts from "grassy" to "sweet, savory umami."

2. What Is Hojicha?

Hojicha is made from steamed green tea (mainly Yabukita leaves plus some stems), roasted at high temperature (~200°C), then ground at low temperature. The roasting transforms the flavor completely:

• Caramel, roasted nuts, toasted rice aromas
• Naturally low caffeine — significantly lower than regular green tea, making it ideal for evening drinks and kid-friendly treats
• Warm amber liquor instead of green
• Almost no foam — this is critical

3. Matcha Grades Explained: Which One Do You Actually Need?

We supply two matcha families: the A-Series (1A–7A) for commercial/industrial use, and the Uji Series (Uji1–Uji4) for premium retail and tea ceremony.

The culinary line: 1A–5A (baking & beverage base grades)

These grades use more mature leaves and shorter shading (12–20 days). They are not designed for whisking — they exist for color, cost-efficiency, and volume.

Grade	Fineness	Best For	Not Recommended For
1A	600–800 mesh	Food coloring, biscuits, feed, natural colorant	Any beverage, tea ceremony
2A	800–1000 mesh	Mass-production baking (cookies) — color only	Drinks, whisking
3A	1000–1200 mesh	Budget bubble tea chains, everyday cakes, daifuku	Whisking
4A	1200–1300 mesh	Mid-range desserts, ice cream, standard matcha lattes	Tasting straight
5A	~1300 mesh	Premium baking, café lattes; can whisk a thin foam	Formal tea ceremony

Rule of thumb: 5A and below = the industrial/culinary line. If your product is going into an oven or a shaker cup, this is your territory.

The ceremonial line: 6A–7A

Grade	Fineness	Profile
6A — Ceremonial Prime	1300–1500 mesh	Entry ceremonial: grassy-forward, mild bitterness, good foam. The workhorse for chain beverage brands doing matcha lattes at scale.
7A — Ceremonial Elite	1500–2000 mesh (5–10μm)	Our best-seller. Intense nori umami, sweet bean notes, virtually no astringency, zero grit, dense long-lasting foam, blends beautifully into milk hot or cold.

The Uji Series (Uji1–Uji4): premium retail & home ceremony

Made from a Yabukita-heavy blend recipe, stone-ground, no additives. Clean, elegant, Japan-Uji-style drinking experience, packed in retail tins and sticks.

Grade	Fineness	Style	Equivalent
Uji1	1200 mesh	Light & refreshing, soft bitterness — beginner whisking	≈ 6A
Uji2	1500 mesh	Balanced umami, stable foam — the everyday favorite	≈ 7A
Uji3	1800 mesh	Rich nori umami, thick body, excellent color retention	≈ 8A-class
Uji4	2000+ mesh	Flagship: koicha-grade, honey-thick, virtually no bitterness, gift-box tier	No A-Series equivalent

Choose Uji when your customers drink the tea straight or whisk it at home. Choose A-Series when it's going into a commercial kitchen. Uji grades are more delicate under oven heat; A-Series tolerates baking better at the same flavor level.

4. Hojicha Roast Levels: Light, Medium, Heavy

Level	Fineness	Liquor	Flavor	Best Applications
Hojicha3 — Light Roast	800–1000 mesh	Golden amber, crystal clear	Gentle rice-grain sweetness, faint toast, retains some green tea freshness, almost no bitterness	Iced hojicha, ice cream, cheese-foam tops, light-colored desserts
Hojicha2 — Medium Roast	1000–1200 mesh	Orange amber, glossy	Nut + roasted rice + soft caramel; round roastiness, very low bitterness, excellent milk integration	Hojicha lattes, basque cheesecake, cake rolls, mousse, daifuku — the all-rounder and our best-selling hojicha
Hojicha1 — Heavy Roast	1000–1200 mesh	Deep orange-red amber	Intense roasted nut, cocoa, charred caramel; pronounced fire aroma, mild roast-bitter finish	Hot hojicha lattes, chocolate desserts, hearty breads, cookies — autumn/winter menus

5. Matcha vs. Hojicha: The Decision Table

	Matcha (7A)	Hojicha (Hojicha2)
Raw material	Shade-grown tencha, stone-ground, unroasted	Steamed green tea, high-heat roasted
Aroma	Nori umami, sweet bean	Caramel, roasted nut, toasted rice
Liquor color	Vivid jade green	Amber orange to red-brown
Foam	Dense, long-lasting	Almost none
Caffeine	Moderate–high	Low
Best use	Whisking (usucha), lattes, light baking	Lattes, baked desserts; never tea ceremony
Mood	Fresh, energizing	Cozy, comforting, evening-friendly

Menu logic: run matcha for your "fresh and vibrant" drinks and hojicha for your "cozy and warm" section — they complement rather than compete.

6. Detailed Usage Methods & Recipes

6.1 Usucha (thin whisked matcha) — for 6A, 7A, Uji2, Uji3

You need: a chawan (bowl), a chasen (bamboo whisk), 2 g matcha (1 heaped chashaku scoop), 70 ml water at 80 °C (176 °F) — never boiling.

1. Sift 2 g matcha into the bowl (sifting is not optional at fine grades — the powder clumps from static).
2. Add ~20 ml water and whisk into a smooth paste to break all lumps.
3. Add the remaining 50–60 ml water.
4. Whisk briskly in a tight "W"/"M" motion for 15–20 seconds, aerating the surface — you're injecting air, not stirring.
5. Finish with slower strokes to polish the foam into a fine, even micro-foam. Drink immediately.

Grades 1A–5A will not produce this foam. Their particle size and amino acid profile aren't built for whisking — use them where they're strong (see 6.3).

6.2 Matcha Latte (hot) — best with 7A or 6A

1. Whisk 4 g matcha with 30 ml of 80 °C water into a smooth paste (a small milk frother works: 10 seconds).
2. Sweeten to taste while the paste is warm.
3. Steam 180 ml milk to ~60 °C and pour over.
4. Why 7A: its umami carries through the milk without added sugar; lower grades need sweetener to mask bitterness.

Iced version: whisk the paste, pour over ice, top with cold milk. Cold milk mutes aromas — go one grade up (7A) for iced drinks.

6.3 Baking — 2A to 5A territory

• Dosage: 2%–4% of total flour/dough weight for biscuits, cookies, cakes and breads.
• Color-first products (cookies, crackers): 1A/2A — you're paying for green, not flavor.
• Flavor-visible products (matcha basque, sponge cakes, swiss rolls): 3A–5A — enough umami to be tasted post-bake, priced for recipe margins.
• No-bake premium items (mousse, namachocolate, cream fillings): 7A — no oven heat means its aroma survives fully.
• Heat rule: above ~180 °C oven temperature, matcha loses aroma and yellows; increase dosage by ~20% or choose 5A.

6.4 Ice Cream / Gelato — 4A or 5A

• Dosage: 1%–2% of the mix.
• Fat and cold mute flavor — err on the higher side.
• 5A gives the best green speck and umami for gelato display cases.

6.5 Hojicha Latte (hot) — best with Hojicha2

1. Mix 5 g Hojicha2 with 30 ml hot water (85–90 °C) into a smooth paste.
2. Add 10–20 g condensed milk or sugar; stir until dissolved.
3. Top with 160 ml steamed milk. The caramel-nut aroma blooms with heat.
4. Dust a little hojicha powder on the foam for presentation.

Iced hojicha: use Hojicha3 — its lighter roast stays crisp and sweet when cold. Never use Hojicha1 iced.

6.6 Hojicha in Baking

• Dosage: 2%–4% of flour weight.
• Hojicha2: basque cheesecake, cake rolls, mousse, daifuku — the universal choice.
• Hojicha1: chocolate items, cookies, dark breads — its deep color and cocoa notes pair with cacao; expect a darker crumb.
• Hojicha3: avoid the oven; use in ice cream, cheese foam, and no-bake creams.

6.7 Dosage Quick Chart

Application	Dosage (of total mix)	Recommended grades
Baked goods	2%–4%	1A–5A / Hojicha3–3 (per level)
Solid drink premix (sticks, sachets)	2%–3%	5A–7A, Uji1–Uji2
Liquid beverage base	0.4%–0.6%	6A–7A / Hojicha2
Ice cream / gelato	1%–2%	4A–5A / Hojicha3–2
Usucha (whisked)	2 g / 70 ml	7A, Uji2, Uji3
Matcha / hojicha latte	4–5 g / cup	7A, 6A / Hojicha2, Hojicha3 (iced)

7. Storage: The Part Everyone Gets Wrong

Fine tea powders have two enemies: oxygen and heat. A top ceremonial grade left at room temperature will oxidize from jade green to dull yellow within weeks, taking its aroma with it.

• Unopened: cool, dark place; refrigerated storage extends shelf life significantly.
• Opened: reseal tightly and refrigerate. Let the pouch come to room temperature before opening (condensation is the hidden killer — cold powder + warm humid air = instant moisture uptake and clumping).
• Matcha clumping in the tin is normal static behavior of micro-fine particles — sift and carry on.
• Natural sedimentation in whisked matcha is normal — the fine tea fibers are not water-soluble. Whisk again or enjoy as-is.

8. FAQ

• Q: Can I use hojicha for tea ceremony whisking?

  No. Hojicha produces almost no foam. It's a roasted beverage/baking powder by design.

• Q: Can I whisk 3A or 4A for a latte?

  You can stir them into milk, but they won't foam, and their grassy bitterness will need sugar to balance. For sugar-free or lightly sweetened lattes, use 6A or 7A.

• Q: Is Uji better than A-Series?

  Neither is "better" — they're built for different jobs. Uji: straight drinking, home whisking, gifting. A-Series: commercial kitchens, volume beverage programs, cost-controlled baking.

• Q: Which single product should a new café start with?

  One matcha (7A) + one hojicha (Hojicha2). That covers hot/iced lattes, whisked service, mousse and namachocolate, and a cozy winter hojicha line — the smallest SKU count with the widest menu coverage.

If you run a café, a bakery, or a beverage brand, the right grade turns ordinary tea drinks into a signature menu line. Start with the smallest kit that covers the widest menu, then expand as your team gets fluent in the differences between matcha and hojicha.

— Terra Matcha Application Team

Ready to Build Your Tea Menu?

Terra Matcha Qingdao Supply Chain Co., Ltd. supplies shade-grown, stone-ground matcha (1A–7A, Uji1–Uji4) and roasted hojicha (Hojicha3–3) from Qingdao Free Trade Zone — ~5,000-ton partner mill capacity, US NOP / HALAL / FSSC 22000 certified (EU organic for Uji1/Uji3), with full OEM packaging from 1 g sticks to 20 kg industrial cases.