Documentation & responsible buying
Matcha Product Documentation: What Buyers Can Request
Buyers can ask a matcha supplier for a small set of documents: a product specification sheet, an allergen statement, origin and production information, batch or lot details, and, where a supplier has them, analysis reports or certificates. Each document answers a different question, so request the ones that match what you need to know rather than "everything you have". What a supplier can provide varies by product and batch, so ask before you order and record what you actually receive.
The documents and what each one answers
| Document | Question it answers | Who usually needs it |
|---|---|---|
| Product specification sheet | What exactly is this product? Ingredients, origin, appearance, storage, pack size, best-before information | Everyone; the base document for your own records |
| Allergen statement | Does the product contain any of the 14 allergens under EU rules, and is there a cross-contact risk? | Anyone who gives allergen information to guests |
| Origin and production information | Where was the tea grown and processed? Which harvest? How was it milled? | Buyers making origin claims on a menu; QA |
| Batch or lot information | Which batch did I receive, and can I trace it? | QA, multi-site operators, anyone recording traceability |
| Certificate of Analysis (CoA) | What was measured on a specific batch, by whom, with which method and result? | QA teams, larger buyers, some retailers |
| Certification documents | Is a specific scheme claim covered by a valid certificate from a recognised control body? | Anyone who wants to repeat such a claim |
| Storage and handling guidance | How should the product be kept once delivered? | Operations, bar managers |
Product specification sheet
The specification sheet is the most useful single document for a café. A good one lists the product name, ingredient (for matcha, typically 100% green tea powder), country and region of origin, harvest, processing and milling method, appearance, recommended storage, pack size and how the best-before date is shown.
Use it to check the product name and claims on the supplier's website match what is in writing. An international technical report, ISO/TR 21380:2022, describes matcha by plant source, cultivation and production, and excludes flavoured and blended products. It is a helpful reference when you read a specification, though it is a technical report, not a certification scheme.
Allergen statement
EU food information rules (Regulation 1169/2011) set out 14 allergens that must be declared You remain responsible for the allergen information you give guests about your drinks, which includes milks, syrups and toppings as well as the matcha. A supplier allergen statement covers the powder only. Ask for it in writing and file it with your recipe cards.
Origin and production information
Origin is often the claim you most want to put on a menu. Ask what the origin name covers. "Uji" tea, for example, can by convention include leaf grown in Kyoto, Nara, Shiga and Mie when it is processed in Kyoto, as Kyoto's tourism site explains. If you print an origin on a menu, keep the written basis for it.
Batch or lot information
Batch information lets you link a delivery to its paperwork. Whether a bag carries a lot number and how to record it in your café is covered in traceability and batch records; the delivery inspection checklist includes a receiving log with a batch column.
Certificate of Analysis
A CoA reports measurements on a specific batch. It is only meaningful if it names the batch, the laboratory, the method and the result against a limit. Not every supplier commissions batch analyses, and not every batch has one. How to read one when you receive it is covered in reading a matcha certificate of analysis.
Certification documents
Some claims can only be made when a recognised control body or scheme owner has issued a certificate for the product. Ask for the certificate itself and check it covers the product and the period. Never repeat a certification claim on your menu that you have not seen documented.
Request checklist
Send this list to a supplier before your first order, or adapt it into your own request form.
- [ ] Product specification sheet for each product you plan to buy
- [ ] Allergen statement for each product
- [ ] Origin details: country, region, harvest, milling method
- [ ] How batch or lot numbers are shown on the pack
- [ ] Which documentation is available for the current batch (analysis reports, if any)
- [ ] Any certification documents that apply, with certificate number and validity
- [ ] Recommended storage conditions
- [ ] How the best-before date is shown on the pack
Recording what you receive
Keep a simple log. It protects you if a guest or inspector asks, and it makes switching suppliers easier.
| Product | Document | Version or date | Batch covered | Received on | Filed where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Review it when a new batch arrives or a supplier changes a product. If a document is promised but not received, note that too; it is useful when you compare suppliers. The 25 questions to ask a matcha supplier include follow-ups on documentation.
Documentation from Yumi
The product facts we publish for both 1 kg products, Ceremonial Barista Matcha and Ceremonial Matcha, are: matcha from Uji (Kyoto), Japan, first harvest, stone-milled.
Which documents are available can differ by product and batch. Rather than assume, ask us which documentation is available for the current batch through the contact page, and tell us what you need it for (menu claims, allergen information, internal QA) so we can answer precisely.
Next step
Copy the request checklist, decide which documents you actually need, and send it to each supplier you are considering. For Yumi, contact us with the list before your first order.