Wholesale matcha price per kg in 2026 — indicative bands by grade and origin
At a glance — the 2026 price map
The headline reference table (FOB, per kg, in USD), compiled from public market reporting, supplier quote checks, and buyer feedback across Q4 2025 through Q2 2026:
| Grade | Japan top tier (Uji) | Japan mid tier | Sample-approved China lots | China commodity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceremonial | 300–600 | 150–280 | 90–180 | 40–70 |
| Premium latte | 120–200 | 70–120 | 50–90 | 25–45 |
| Culinary | 80–180 | 50–90 | 30–70 | 15–30 |
| Food industry | 50–100 | 30–60 | 18–40 | 10–22 |
Currency translations below use simple planning rates for comparison only (USD 1 ≈ AED 3.67 ≈ SAR 3.75):
| USD/kg | AED/kg | SAR/kg |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | ~110 | ~113 |
| 50 | ~184 | ~188 |
| 100 | ~367 | ~375 |
| 200 | ~734 | ~750 |
| 500 | ~1,835 | ~1,875 |
These are bands, not point estimates. A specific quote depends on volume, grade selection within a tier, packaging, certification scope, and lead time.
1. What the FOB price actually contains
A USD 50/kg quote on culinary matcha is not 50 dollars of leaf. The breakdown for a typical 500 kg order, China origin:
| Component | Approx share | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Raw tencha leaf | 35–45% | Driven by garden contracts and harvest yield |
| Processing (steam, mill, sort) | 15–25% | Stone mill throughput is the bottleneck |
| Packaging (foil + nitrogen flush) | 5–8% | 500g consumer bags more than 5kg trade |
| Document and testing costs | 2–4% | Halal scope, COA, or importer-requested tests where applicable |
| Logistics to port | 3–5% | Inland China to Ningbo/Shanghai |
| Margin (supplier/trader) | 15–25% | Higher-transparency lots command premium |
If a quote is dramatically below the band, one of these components has been cut. Usually it is the certification, the packaging quality, or — most concerningly — the leaf grade being relabeled up a tier.
2. CIF vs FOB — what really lands in your warehouse
FOB (Free On Board, port of origin) is the supplier’s gate price. Landed cost in Dubai may add:
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Sea freight CN → UAE (LCL/small FCL) | USD 1.20–2.50 / kg |
| Sea freight JP → UAE | USD 1.50–3.00 / kg |
| Port handling Jebel Ali | USD 0.15–0.40 / kg |
| Customs duty (GCC common tariff) | 5% of CIF value |
| Halal or certificate-scope costs | Quote-specific |
| Inland to your warehouse (Dubai) | USD 0.10–0.30 / kg |
| Documentation, broker | USD 0.05–0.15 / kg |
Illustrative example only: 200 kg of culinary grade at USD 50/kg FOB China.
- FOB: USD 10,000
- Sea freight + handling: USD 380
- CIF value: USD 10,380
- 5% duty: USD 519
- Inland + admin: USD 80
- Landed total: USD 10,979 → USD 54.90/kg landed, roughly +10% over FOB.
Air freight changes the math dramatically. It can make sense for samples and urgent trial lots, while larger commercial orders usually need a sea-freight or consolidated route to protect margin.
3. The 2024–2026 price curve, briefly
Japanese ceremonial doubled in roughly 24 months. The drivers are well documented in Maison Koko’s 2025 explainer and OneWithTea’s 2026 analysis: a weak 2024 tencha harvest, aging Japanese tea farms, and demand spike from Chinese and Korean tourist consumption draining Uji and Nishio inventory.
Chinese matcha pricing has been less volatile in many quote checks. Capacity expanded in several producing regions during 2024–2025, but that does not mean every supplier can repeat the same approved lot. For buyers, the practical question is whether the specific supplier can put lead time, batch-change notice, and repeat-order terms in writing.
For buyers building 12-month menu plans, this stability matters more than absolute price.
4. The five ‘too cheap’ red flags
These patterns appear often enough in supplier screening that they are worth checking before a buyer treats any quote as real:
- Ceremonial grade quoted at USD 35/kg from a Chinese supplier. Treat the grade claim as unproven until a side-by-side sample and document scope support it.
- “Uji matcha” quoted far below normal premium bands. Treat the origin claim as unverified until the seller can explain lot identity, whether the product is pure Uji or blended Japanese-origin, and what traceability evidence is available.
- Halal claim with no certificate holder or certifier scope. Ask whether the certificate is facility-level, product-level, or shipment-specific, and whether your importer accepts the certifier.
- No COA or test scope mentioned. Ask for a recent COA or redacted example covering pesticide, heavy-metal, microbiology, and any target-market limits relevant to your buyer.
- Annual fixed price with no minimum volume or review clause. That is not a reliable supply plan. Use mutual volume commitments, batch-change notice, and a clear price-review trigger.
5. Volume discount curve
Illustrative price reductions vs a 100 kg trial basis on a typical China-origin culinary quote around USD 50/kg:
| Volume | FOB / kg | Discount vs 100 kg |
|---|---|---|
| 100 kg | 50.00 | — |
| 250 kg | 47.50 | -5% |
| 500 kg | 45.00 | -10% |
| 1,000 kg | 43.50 | -13% |
| 2,500 kg | 42.00 | -16% |
| 5,000 kg | 41.00 | -18% |
Beyond larger tonnage, the discount curve often flattens because input cost dominates. For many GCC cafe groups, a 500–1,000 kg annual supply plan is a useful planning range. Larger players such as regional chains or hotel groups may negotiate multi-ton annual contracts, but the supplier should confirm the actual price ladder.
6. Currency, payment terms, and FX
Three practical notes:
- USD is the default quote currency for both Chinese and Japanese suppliers.
- Payment terms: 30% T/T deposit, 70% T/T against B/L copy is the industry standard for first orders. After 6–12 months of trade, mature accounts move to net 30 against B/L.
- AED/SAR direct billing may be available through some export partners or trading companies. Compare the implied exchange rate before choosing it over USD.
7. How to compare quotes fairly
The honest test: ask three suppliers for the same exact spec (grade, MOQ, certification, lead time, packaging), in the same currency, both FOB and DAP (Delivered At Place) to your warehouse. Then add the missing line items (Halal cert, COA, packaging upgrade, expedited freight) on whichever quote left them out. The “cheapest” quote often becomes the second or third cheapest once apples-to-apples.
If you would like to run that test, request a VIRICHA quote. We can help compare supplier-side quotes, request sample/document scopes, and separate real landed cost from headline FOB pricing before you place a trial order.
Frequently asked
What is a fair wholesale matcha price per kg in 2026?
Fair price depends on grade, origin, supplier role, document scope, and volume. Recent B2B quotes commonly show higher-grade China-origin matcha around USD 90–180/kg FOB, culinary grade around USD 30–70/kg, and food-industry grade around USD 18–40/kg. Anything far below the band deserves a hard look at the sample, the test scope, and the actual leaf grade.
Why does the same 'ceremonial grade' vary three times in price?
Three reasons. First, 'ceremonial' is unregulated in both China and Japan, so the label is a supplier claim rather than a guaranteed quality tier. Second, origin and harvest economics matter. Third, brand premium and allocation pressure can affect Japanese quotes. Demand a sample, certificate-scope evidence where relevant, and a recent COA example before assuming the high price reflects higher quality.
How much do shipping and duties add to landed cost?
Use the numbers in this guide as planning assumptions, not live freight quotes. Sea freight, port handling, GCC duty on CIF value, inland delivery, broker fees, and document requirements can all move the landed cost. Before committing to a commercial order, ask your importer, broker, or freight forwarder for current route costs and confirm whether the supplier is quoting FOB, CIF, DAP, or another Incoterm.
Should I lock in annual pricing for matcha?
For menu-dependent accounts, use a written repeat-order plan rather than relying on spot quotes. The best version is mutual: you commit to a realistic annual or quarterly volume range, and the supplier commits to lead-time, price-review, and batch-change terms. Avoid one-sided fixed-price promises with no minimum volume or review mechanism.
What's the price difference between 100 kg and 1 ton orders?
Use 5–15% as a planning range, not a promise. Common quote break points are 100 kg, 500 kg, and 1,000 kg, but the real discount depends on grade, packaging, stock, document scope, and supplier role. Ask the supplier to show the price ladder in writing before assuming volume savings.
Should I pay in USD, AED, SAR, or RMB?
USD is the global default for matcha trade and what most Chinese and Japanese suppliers quote in. Paying in AED or SAR usually means the supplier internally converts at a slightly worse rate to hedge their RMB or JPY exposure. If your treasury operations can hold USD, pay in USD. If you would otherwise hold AED and convert anyway, paying directly in AED can save 0.5–1.5% — ask the supplier explicitly.
Sources & references
- Maison Koko — 2025 matcha price increase explainer · 2025
- OneWithTea — 2026 matcha shortage explained · 2026
- Ooika — Why matcha prices are rising · 2025
- MAFF Japan — Tencha and matcha production statistics · 2025
- Arab News — Saudi Japanese matcha imports +900% YoY 2023 · 2024
- First-Agri — How to find a reliable matcha supplier · 2024
- Shopify — Alibaba alternatives and B2B sourcing · 2025