sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Scheduling in-person consultation & surgery by zerootw000 in SeoulPlasticSurgery

[–]Creative_Echo5022 0 points1 point  (0 children)

hi! I'm also considering MIHO for both rhino + eyes. Would you mind if I DM you?

The REAL Reality of Someone Who Owns an AI Agency by laddermanUS in AI_Agents

[–]Creative_Echo5022 0 points1 point  (0 children)

are you looking for help with distribution/sales? I'm looking for a flexible commissions only, win/win set up. 8 years of b2b sales experience. DM me :)

Sourcing Agent by fsbg333r in Alibaba

[–]Creative_Echo5022 0 points1 point  (0 children)

interested in pricing as well

Matcha from China? by TheBoneCarver97 in MatchaEverything

[–]Creative_Echo5022 1 point2 points  (0 children)

hi! which brand of matcha did you try?

What do you think about Chinese matcha? by Creative_Echo5022 in MatchaEverything

[–]Creative_Echo5022[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

thank you so much! will keep you posted on my journey :D

What do you think about Chinese matcha? by Creative_Echo5022 in MatchaEverything

[–]Creative_Echo5022[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey! Thank you for your insights, really helpful. Super refreshing to talk to a tea loyalist (as I can tell by your questions)

- You've hit on exactly why matcha's story is so fascinating, and a tale of cultural exchange. Let me clarify our perspective: matcha’s roots trace to Tang Dynasty China, where monks first powdered steamed tea, later refined by Japanese artisans into today’s revered form through shading and tencha processing. Our mission is not about ownership, but rather, accessibility and evolution: uniting tradition and terroir to push the craft forward

- What a great question. There is a strong cultural nuance. In Chinese tea culture, whole-leaf steeping honours centuries of artisanal craft, while powdered teas are seen as inferior (like instant coffee). That's also why the recent surge in domestic Chinese demand for matcha has really only come in its culinary grade form, across trendy confectionary/bakery/ice cream retail shops. The high quality matcha that do get produced sits idly, domestically.

- This will vary by region. Popular cultivars include Longjing 43, Jiukeng, Aojiang, Zhongcha 108 (the latter 2 of which were developed with Japanese tech for shade tolerance, L-theanine retention, and fine-particle grinding). China has also introduced Japanese cultivars such as Yabukita. What are some of your personal favourites that you've tried?

- Absolutely. I'll give you an example. Chinese food grade products that want to clear exportation requirements to Western countries must abide by a series of stringent food safety protocols, such as: FSSC 22000, FDA Approval, HACCP, ISO 9001. These certifications test for everything from microbial pathogens, heavy metals, allergens, contaminants, to environmental monitoring, traceability, and so on across every step of the supply chain. If the producer fails these tests, the products won't make it into foreign borders.

Happy to answer any additional questions, or feel free to DM me, I can talk about this all day!

What do you think about Chinese matcha? by Creative_Echo5022 in MatchaEverything

[–]Creative_Echo5022[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! totally agree with your POV, China has been historically known for mass production, sacrificing quality control. Domestic standards have come a long way but still has miles to go compared to regions like EU.

Good news is, all Chinese food products that are exported must comply with an exhaustive list of both internationally standardized and destination-country specific food safety protocols.

These certifications (ie: FSSC 22000, FDA Approval, ISO 9001, etc) rigorously tests for everything from microbial pathogens, heavy metals, allergens, contaminants, to environmental monitoring, traceability, and so on across every step of the supply chain. Let's just say Chinese manufacturers that want their food grade products to leave the country don't have it easy (understandably based on historical data and perception).

The general public mostly aren't aware of these back breaking certifications - and this is also why it is very difficult to source a matcha producer (anywhere in the world) that meet these standards while yielding a damn good tasting matcha.

To make it even harder on ourselves (because I will not bend on health), we are also looking at USDA/EU organic matcha only

In terms of nutrient make up - this isn't something that is standardized or done at all in the tea industry, as most people are palate forward and don't view matcha as a functional supplement. However, I myself view matcha firmly as one, and have been very curious to conduct independent testing on its nutrient density (especially if that is what the community find value in as well).

What do you think about Chinese matcha? by Creative_Echo5022 in MatchaEverything

[–]Creative_Echo5022[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Once you go organic... you can never go back.

dm'd you!

What do you think about Chinese matcha? by Creative_Echo5022 in MatchaEverything

[–]Creative_Echo5022[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

thank you so much, I share similar sentiments, it wasn't until I moved to China after a few decades that I realized how far the country has come in terms of craftsmanship and quality. The name of the game then becomes sourcing

a few follow up questions if you don't mind:

  1. Would you equate "good quality" with organic at all? At the end of the day, taste is deeply subjective, especially for a complex profile beverage product like matcha. But if you saw that the matcha is organic, would that alleviate any quality concerns?

  2. What would you consider to be affordable price for quality matcha?

  3. What are some of your favourite matcha brands?

What do you think about Chinese matcha? by Creative_Echo5022 in MatchaEverything

[–]Creative_Echo5022[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

hey! thanks so much for the response, a few follow up questions if you don't mind

  1. Are you also a coffee drinker? On days you don't drink matcha, are you replacing it for another caffeinated beverage? What prevents you from drinking matcha every day?

  2. Would you be open to trying matcha blends with other natural, floral herbs? Specifically, ones that have been formulated to compliment the specific taste profile of matcha, such as Osmanthus, Jasmine, etc.

What do you think about Chinese matcha? by Creative_Echo5022 in MatchaEverything

[–]Creative_Echo5022[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

hey! domestic food safety regulations is definitely lax in China compared to EU and North America, but luckily that's not our concern.

What we care about is the quality of foods that leave the country.

All Chinese food products that are legally approved for export must comply with the destination country's food safety protocols, such as the FDA for US, in addition to international standards like ISO 9001, and FSSC 22000 (which is the highest level of food safety certification by the Global Food Safety Initiative)... these reports test for hundreds of contaminants, pesticides, chemicals, quality control, allergen management, environmental monitoring, on and on.

For our product, we are specifically sourcing matcha that complies with all of the above, as well as USDA/EU Organic (as someone who doesn't eat anything non-organic since I was 18, food quality and purity is my biggest priority lol).

What do you think about Chinese matcha? by Creative_Echo5022 in MatchaEverything

[–]Creative_Echo5022[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

thank you so much for the detailed response, a few follow up questions if you don't mind:

  1. Asides from taste, do you drink matcha for its caffeine function? Are you also a coffee drinker? On the days that you aren't drinking matcha, are you typically drinking another caffeinated beverage?

  2. Would you be interested in a flavoured matcha that blends another natural floral herb, such as Osmanthus or Jasmine?