Our Story

Breakaway Matcha was founded on the idea that great matcha should be much easier to find than it actually is. It took a good decade to pull it off. We opened our doors in 2010, and have deepened our offerings each year. 

Founder Eric Gower developed what might be called an obsession with extreme-grade matcha during his 16 years living and working in Japan as an author, editor, private chef, and cooking teacher. 

Eric's deep dive into matcha eventually led to close relationships with the people who cultivate and process Japan's most extraordinary matcha, and worked with them to custom blend and create matcha with the five tell-tale signs of great matcha: maximum umami, electric color, intoxicating aroma, dreamy frothability (achieved through traditional granite grinding mills), and a long, stunning finish. 

Breakaway Matcha specializes in:

1. Sourcing exceptional matcha
2. Custom blending this matcha
3. Distributing this matcha worldwide
4. Educating consumers and food service professionals on matcha preparation and service.

We also design special matcha ceramics and other teaware, and work with local ceramicists and artists whose work especially appeals to us. 

Though special matcha ceramics are by no means required, and one can fully enjoy matcha in a million different circumstances and permutations using the most modest tools, we believe that beautiful ceramics bring out the best in matcha, and enhance its enjoyment even more.

The main goal of Breakaway Matcha is to make great matcha accessible to anyone who would like to experience it. Our approach is to prepare and serve matcha in a simple and modern way that invites further exploration, and to provide ongoing education in the joys -– both traditional and modern –- to be found in the daily drinking of this remarkably tasty and health-forward beverage.

We aim to be a kind of concierge to great matcha, and we try to create outstanding client experiences. We strive to be an organization that's human, respectful, transparent, inclusive, and socially and environmentally conscious. We adore our products, and think you will, too. We share this special matcha directly with individuals (through this website), set up matcha programs at companies and other organizations, and provide ongoing support and training in matcha preparation to many of the most respected and emulated restaurants in the world.

We strongly believe that anyone looking for a transcendent matcha experience will eventually find us. It will be our total pleasure to share this remarkable matcha with you -- we stop at nothing to keep our "matcha tribe" as happy and healthy as possible!