Documentation & responsible buying
Responsible Sourcing Questions for Matcha Buyers
Responsible sourcing for matcha comes down to how much a supplier can show you about where the tea comes from, who handled it and how it is packed. Ask specific questions, ask for evidence rather than adjectives, and score answers on what is documented, not on how good they sound. The question set below is grouped by topic, with a scoring method so you can compare suppliers against your own policy.
Before you ask
Decide what your policy actually requires. A café with a published sourcing statement needs evidence it can stand behind; a business without one may only need to know the basics. Write down:
- Which topics matter to you (origin transparency, labour, environment, packaging)
- Which claims you want to make publicly, if any
- What counts as acceptable evidence for each
That last point matters most. A claim you print on a menu or website must rest on something you can show.
Question set
Origin and supply chain transparency
- Which country and region is the tea grown in, and where is it processed and milled?
- How many steps are there between the farm or processor and you? Who are they (producer, processor, exporter, importer, brand)?
- Is the supply relationship direct, through an importer, or through a trading company?
- Does origin stay the same from batch to batch, or does it vary?
- What written evidence of origin can you provide (specification, origin statement, shipping documents)?
Producers, importers, brands and wholesalers in Europe explains the roles in the chain, which helps you read the answers to question 2.
Labour and working conditions
- Do you or your partners have a code of conduct for suppliers? Can you share it?
- How do you check working conditions at producers and processors: visits, audits, third-party schemes, or none?
- If audits take place, by whom, how often, and can you share a summary?
- How would you respond if a problem were found?
Environment and farming practice
- What can you tell us about farming practice at origin, and how do you know?
- Are any environmental schemes or certifications held? Which body issued them, and for which products? (See how to verify a supplier certificate for checking a certificate.)
- How is the tea transported to Europe?
Packaging
- What is the primary packaging made of, and can it be recycled where we are?
- What is the outer shipping packaging, and is it reused or recyclable?
- Are there pack size options that reduce packaging per kilo for our volume?
Documentation and honesty
- Which of your answers above can you support with documents?
- Is there anything you cannot tell us, and why?
The last question is useful. A supplier that says "we don't know" or "we can't share that" is giving you information. Vague reassurance tells you less.
For the commercial and quality questions that sit alongside these, see 25 questions to ask a matcha supplier.
How to weigh the answers
Score each answer on the evidence behind it, not its tone.
| Score | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Specific answer with a document or verifiable reference | Certificate with number and validity; named region with spec sheet |
| 2 | Specific answer, no document yet, willing to provide | "Grown and processed in Uji; spec sheet to follow" |
| 1 | General answer, no evidence | "We work with responsible partners" |
| 0 | No answer, or an answer that contradicts other information | Origin stated differently on website and invoice |
Add up the scores for the topics your policy covers. Then apply two rules:
- Minimum per topic: set a floor for topics that are non-negotiable for you. A high total does not compensate for a 0 on a must-have.
- Claims follow evidence: only make public claims based on answers that scored 3.
Worked example
You care most about origin transparency and packaging. Supplier A scores 13 of 15 on origin (five questions) and 6 of 9 on packaging (three questions). Supplier B scores 8 of 15 on origin and 9 of 9 on packaging. If your floor for origin is 10, Supplier B does not meet your policy, whatever its packaging score.
Reading answers critically
- Adjectives are not evidence. "Ethical", "sustainable" and "responsible" mean nothing without specifics.
- Check consistency. Compare answers with the website, the label and the invoice.
- Origin labels have conventions. "Uji" as a tea name can include leaf from Kyoto, Nara, Shiga and Mie when it is processed in Kyoto (Kyoto tourism). Ask what the name covers. Japanese matcha vs other origins adds context.
- Distinguish the supplier from the chain. A brand may answer for its own operations but rely on partners for farm-level information. Ask which answers are first-hand.
What Yumi states
The facts we publish for both 1 kg products, Ceremonial Barista Matcha and Ceremonial Matcha, are: matcha from Uji (Kyoto), Japan, first harvest, stone-milled. For anything beyond that, including the questions above, ask us through the contact page and we will tell you what we can document and what we cannot.
Response log
| Supplier | Topic | Question no. | Answer summary | Evidence received | Score | Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Next step
Mark the topics your policy covers, send the relevant questions to each supplier in writing, and score the replies with the table above. To put the questions to Yumi, contact us before your first order.