AOI spares no expense to ensure that its matcha is top of the line. The tea is cultivated in the Nishio region of the Aichi prefecture, one of the finest locations for tencha — pre-ground matcha — in all of Japan. Additionally, AOI cultivates tencha from Kyoto – also one of the finest locations and widely known as the cultural hub of Japan as well as where most of the largest tea companies in the world harvest their green tea. Organically grown since the 1990s, tea leaves are picked by hand. The tea is thoroughly monitored to surpass ISO9001 and ISO22000 certification standards, and it’s carefully documented so buyers can easily know where the matcha was harvested, when it was harvested, the cultivation conditions, and more. With these high standards, it’s no surprise that AOI was recognized as the #1 producer of organic tencha by the prestigious Aichi Brand.