Alex Yuan

For buyers exporting matcha to Europe, aluminum content is often the main reason shipments fail tests, get rejected, and force frequent supplier changes. More and more EU importers require matcha to have less than 500 ppm aluminum—but many suppliers struggle to keep this consistent long-term, because aluminum levels are actually determined right from the tea garden soil.

Matcha-flavored cakes, ice cream, candies, and drinks are popular for their attractive color and fresh taste. Food lovers always pick matcha treats from many choices. However, many matcha foods on the market only contain green tea powder. To keep good taste and color, adding flavorings and pigments is common in the industry. Many products sold as “matcha” are just ordinary green tea powder. These two green powders look similar, but they are very different in nutrition, taste, and price.

In the organic tea garden of the Lin'an Oriental Tea Research Institute, there is always a stooped but still going strong figure, busy back and forth from dawn till dusk. He is a true icon in the tea industry. From a young lad to a silver-haired elder, he has devoted himself to tea for more than 60 years.

Last week, Zhiqinghe’s organic tea farm welcomed a heartfelt visit. Two post-95 overseas Chinese girls from Singapore made a special point of coming here to find the source of premium matcha. The paths up the mountain were wet and muddy since…

When it's still all misty up in the mountains south of the Yangtze, a tea variety - "Zhongcha108", is already waking up and sprouting.

The Spring Equinox has just passed

Early spring 2026, Zhiqinghe's work of setting up the tea shed is in full swing.
Despite the lingering spring chill, the Zhiqinghe tea farm is already hustling. Our core mission—building the tea sheds—is moving at full speed ahead.