Aiya's History

1888

Aijiro Sugita the 1st opens Sugita Shoten store specializing in the production and sale of tea and indigo.

1898

Matcha sales conducted over entire Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

1908

Matcha sales expanded to Kanto and Kansai regions.

1912

Sales expanded and 35 hectares of tea under cultivation.

1922

Partnership firm AIYA Tea Shop founded. Aijiro the 2nd takes over the firm.

1935

New headquarters and factory built.

1950

AIYA Ltd founded. Aijiro the 3rd takes over the firm.

1960-69

Daily production increases to 400 kg with the addition of 320 granite grinding mills.

1964

Company renamed AIYA Co. Ltd.

1970-84

Daily production increases to 1000 kg.

1977

260-ton capacity storage refrigerator installed.

1978

Organic tea plantation launched.

1979

Cultivation of organically grown tea begins.

1983

Aiya exports tea to North America.

1985

Quality Control Room installed - the first of its kind in the Matcha industry!

1989

AIYA celebrates 100th Anniversary. Aijiro the 4th takes over the corporation. Affiliate firm Meihouen founded to supervise and instruct tea producers.

1990

Grinding mill numbers grow to 1,080 and daily production reaches 1200 kg with the completion of our second factory.

1991

New product quality control room installed, with streamlined testing procedures.

1992

Matcha industry's first reduced-germ production line implemented.

1993

Construction of refinery plant and a 360-ton cold storage facility.

1994

New headquarters are built and our concert hall is completed.

1997

AIYA becomes first Matcha producer to be certified by Japan Organic & Natural Foods Association (JONA).

1999

AIYA acquires ISO9002 (International Organization for Standardization) certification - another Matcha industry first.

2001

New York and Vienna offices open. Matcha introduced at food expos and receives government certification, JAS (Japan Agriculture Standards).

2002

AIYA Matcha receives organic certification from OCIA (USA) & IMO (Europe) and Kosher and ISO9001 certifications - all Matcha industry firsts. Color retention Matcha MT-21 developed. Domestic and international patents received.

2003

Fully automated Matcha production plant opened. Fully operational European branch, AIYA Europe GmbH, opened in Vienna, Austria. Production of certified organic Sencha and Tencha launched in China.

2004

AIYA America relocated to Los Angeles from New York. Japan Tea Summit held in Nishio City. New Matcha factory constructed, resulting in a 25% production increase.

2005

AIYA opens Chinese branch in Zhejang, China for Chinese domestic supply. AIYA brings Matcha stone mills to China and opens China's first Matcha factory. AIYA meets a new production record: 84 tons of Matcha tea per month.

2007

AIYA receives AIB certification with "Superior" rating.

2008

AIYA Europe relocated from Austria, to Europe's tea capital - Hamburg, Germany.
AIYA receives ISO 22000 certification - another first for the Matcha industry
AIYA receives AIB certification with "Superior" rating.

2009

AIYA receives AIB certification with "Superior" rating (3 years in a row).