Japanese matcha for Colorado.

Who we supply in Colorado

Denver and Boulder have built one of the strongest independent cafe scenes between the coasts, with a health-conscious customer base that took to matcha early. Fort Collins and Boulder add university demand, Colorado Springs a growing independent scene, and the resort towns a high-spend, highly seasonal layer on top.

What Colorado does not have is a wholesale matcha supplier that lets a cafe taste the lot first. Search for one and you find national online sellers and retail tea shops, so most Front Range cafes order wholesale from a website and find out how it drinks with Denver water only after the bag is open. That is the gap the sample kit is for.

• Front Range independents in Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins with mature matcha programs.
• Colorado Springs cafes building matcha menus alongside specialty coffee.
• Resort-town cafes in Aspen, Vail, and Breckenridge with steep seasonal swings.
• University markets around Boulder and Fort Collins.

Shipping to Colorado

For a cafe, tea shop, or resort kitchen, 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 in Colorado with customs handled on our side, so the first time you touch the product is when the box arrives at your door. 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 Colorado food or beverage business.
• Wholesale orders: from 5 kg, grades mixed as you like in 1 kg or 500 g bags, shipped from Japan to your address in Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, or a mountain town.
• Mountain towns: deliveries to Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge, and similar addresses can take longer in winter; order ahead of peak season rather than into it.
• Container scale: distributors importing on their own account usually clear at a West Coast port and move freight by rail or truck to Denver, or use Denver International for air cargo.

Licensing in Colorado

On top of the federal import requirements, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment runs the state's wholesale food safety program, licensing wholesale food manufacturers, warehouses, and storage facilities, while retail food service is permitted by local public health agencies. Confirm which category you fall into before your first order.

• If you store wholesale stock or repack it, expect CDPHE wholesale food licensing rather than only a retail permit.
• Mountain-county health departments can run their own schedules; plan inspections around the season.

Choosing a grade that holds up at altitude

Water boils at a lower temperature as elevation rises — roughly 202°F (94°C) in Denver, and lower still in the mountain towns. Matcha is whisked rather than steeped, so this matters less than it does for coffee, but cooler water still brings out less body, and a lot that tastes balanced at sea level can come across thin in Denver and flat in Breckenridge.

The fix is not a different product, it is choosing for body and adjusting the recipe. For lattes, Ceremonial Barista and Organic Ceremonial Barista are built to stay full and green under milk; for straight servings, Super Ceremonial and Premium Ceremonial carry more umami into a cooler bowl. Use a touch more matcha per serving than a sea-level recipe calls for. And judge samples on your own bar, with your own water, not against a tasting note written at sea level — which is exactly why the kit is free.

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 Denver. Wholesale orders ship from Japan.