About Mizuba Tea
Mizuba Tea Company is a respected, woman-owned, direct-trade company specializing in authentic, high-quality Japanese tea, with a strong focus on matcha.
Here are the key details about the company:
Core Focus and Mission
- Authentic Matcha: Mizuba’s core offering is traditional, stone-milled Japanese matcha green tea. They are known for providing different grades of matcha, including ceremonial and culinary.
- Direct-Trade and Transparency: The company is dedicated to farm-direct sourcing. Founder Lauren Purvis (Danson) works closely with small, family-run farms and producers in Uji, Japan—the historic birthplace of the Japanese tea ceremony.
- Upholding Heritage: Mizuba’s mission is to honor and uphold the Japanese tea heritage, serving as a “conduit” to share the knowledge and craftsmanship of their farmers. They are recognized as an “Uji Cha Tea Dealer.”
- Quality Assurance: Their teas are often verified as certified organic, non-GMO, radiation-free, and heavy-metal-free.
Products
While best known for matcha, Mizuba also offers a selection of other Japanese teas:
- Matcha: Different grades such as Daily, Nagomi (Ceremonial Grade), Kokoro, and other specialty/single-cultivar matchas.
- Loose-Leaf Teas: They source heritage and rare Japanese styles, including sencha, hojicha, and sometimes oolong and kyôbancha.
- Hojicha Powder: Roasted green tea powder, often used for lattes and baking.
- Accessories: They sell the traditional tools needed to prepare matcha, such as bamboo whisks (chasen) and bowls (chawan).
Origins and Location
- Founding: Mizuba Tea Co. was founded in 2013 by Lauren Purvis (Danson) after she visited Uji, Japan, and connected with a local matcha producer.
- US Base: The company is based in the U.S., with offices in Santa Barbara, California, and Portland, Oregon.
- Sourcing Location: All of their core matcha is exclusively sourced from the Uji region of Kyoto, Japan.