Domo Cafe is the matcha concept my wife and I have been building. The plan is settled, the sourcing is locked in, and at this point the only thing standing between us and opening is construction time.
Here’s what we did to get there.
Table of Contents
The Problem With Matcha Supply
With matcha, you can’t run on one supplier. It’s low yield, low quantity, and if something happens on their end, they’ll just cap you. Since Domo is a matcha concept, running out isn’t an option. That would be unacceptable.
So before anything else, we needed a stable of suppliers deep enough that no single one could squeeze us.
Why We Showed Up in Person
Morgan and I went to Japan in March. We had talked to a bunch of suppliers beforehand, and a lot of them were kind of getting back to us, kind of not. So we just started walking into places. That’s how we got most of our accounts: by going over there and showing up.
They were more than happy to meet with us. It’s just the way business works there. It’s a lot more personal. We had wondered whether it was overkill to fly out. It wasn’t.
Uji and Wazuka
We went to Uji first, the matcha capital, about a 20 to 30 minute train ride from Kyoto. That’s where most of the businesses are. Matcha is a big part of the city.
But the actual farms are in Wazuka, about a 40-minute drive south. That’s where it’s really rural: matcha fields, green tea, all of it. 50% of the world’s matcha is made there.
We met growers, saw the farms, and watched how everyone does the process a little differently. The bushes are smaller than people expect, only about waist high. The whole thing is highly hand-done, which is why the supply doesn’t scale easily. We came home understanding the supply chain in a way we couldn’t have from email.
Hojicha Too
We sourced hojicha on the same trip. It’s a roasted green tea, and it’ll sit alongside matcha on the Domo menu. Same logic: multiple suppliers, same trip, same care.
Where We Are Now
The product is decided. The suppliers are lined up. The space is in the hands of the trades. From here it’s the calendar.
Follow along on Instagram for opening updates.