World’s First “International Matcha Association” Launches, to Build Shared Foundations.

Tokyo, Japan — April 22nd, 2026 — International Matcha Association (IMA), an international organization (non-profit) headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo and led by Founding Chair Ryo Iwamoto, has been established to address structural challenges facing the rapidly expanding global matcha market, including widening supply-demand gaps, the absence of internationally shared definitions and standards, and the rise of mislabeling and misleading claims.

As matcha continues to expand beyond the categories of beverages and food into a wide range of industries including cafés, wellness, and hospitality, the market still faces critical constraints in production capacity and asymmetries in knowledge across regions and stakeholders. As a result, transparency and trust within the global matcha market have not yet been sufficiently established. Through work in definition-setting, research, education, international conferences, and awards, IMA aims to foster shared understanding and build a foundation for the responsible growth and long-term value creation of the global matcha industry.

Key Areas of Activity

To support a sustainable international development of the matcha industry, IMA will create frameworks for global dialogue and consensus-building. Its activities will include research and study, formation of shared understanding through international conferences, recognition and dissemination of outstanding initiatives through awards, and global advancement of knowledge, practice, talent development through education. Further details on upcoming initiatives will be announced in phases.

Board of Directors

1. Yannis Apostolopoulos, Director, Adjacent Industries

2. Katharine P. Burnett, Director, Academic Relations

3. Sara Roversi, Director, Sustainability & International Organizations

4. Toshimi Nishi, Director, Producers

5. Ryo Iwamoto, Representative Director, Cultural Relations / Founding Chair

■Yannis Apostolopoulos, Chief Executive Officer, Specialty Coffee Association

Yannis Apostolopoulos is a Director of the International Matcha Association (IMA) and the Chief Executive Officer of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), the world’s leading organizations for specialty coffee. With more than 25 years of experience across global beverage industries, he has played a central role in advancing international standards, professional education, and cross-sector collaboration. His work brings to IMA a deep understanding of how trusted systems, shared language, and global community-building can support the long-term development of an entire category.

■Katharine P. Burnett, Founding Director, UC Davis Global Tea Institute

Katharine P. Burnett is a Director of the International Matcha Association (IMA) and Founding Director of the Global Tea Institute for the Study of Tea Culture and Science at UC Davis, where she also serves as Professor of Chinese Art History. A leading scholar of tea culture across disciplines, she has helped build one of the world’s most important academic platforms for tea research and education. Her work brings to IMA a rare combination of intellectual depth, historical perspective, and cross-cultural insight into how tea knowledge is studied, shared, and sustained globally.

■Sara Roversi, Founder, Future Food Institute

Sara Roversi is a Director of the International Matcha Association (IMA) and the Founder and President of the Future Food Institute, a global ecosystem focused on food system sustainability, education, and social innovation. Through her work as an entrepreneur, author, and international thought leader, she has advanced dialogue on regenerative food systems, the cultural meaning of food, and the role of education in shaping more responsible futures. Her perspective brings to IMA a global, systems-oriented approach to sustainability, collaboration, and long-term value creation.

■Toshimi Nishi, President, Nishi Tea Factory

Toshimi Nishi is a Director of the International Matcha Association (IMA) and President of Nishi Tea Factory, one of Japan’s leading producers of high-quality organic matcha. As a pioneering force in large-scale, forward-looking tea agriculture, he has helped demonstrate that organic cultivation and exceptional quality can coexist at the highest level. Widely recognized as one of the key figures behind the rise of premium matcha in today’s global market, he brings to IMA a producer’s vision grounded in innovation, scale, and an unwavering commitment to excellence from the field upward.

■Ryo Iwamoto, Founding Chair/Representative Director, International Matcha Association

Ryo Iwamoto is the Representative Director of the International Matcha Association (IMA), where he leads efforts to build shared foundations for the future of matcha through dialogue, research, education, and international collaboration. As the Founder and CEO of TeaRoom Inc., he has worked across tea production, culture, and business to address structural challenges in the industry and explore more sustainable ways of creating value. Rooted in the Urasenke tradition of tea under the name “Souryo Iwamoto,” his work bridges cultural practice and global industry.

About “International Matcha Association”

Organization Name: International Matcha Association (Non-profit General Incorporated Association)

Representative Director / Founding Chair: Ryo Iwamoto

Directors: Yannis Apostolopoulos, Katharine P. Burnett, Sara Roversi, Toshimi Nishi

Head Office: 6F CIRCLES Ichigaya, 4-19 Yonbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0081, Japan

Date of Establishment: April 22nd, 2026

Website: https://matcha-association.org/

（日本の方向け）プレスリリース要約

世界初の抹茶の国際団体であるInternational Matcha Association（IMA）を創設いたしました。急速に拡大する抹茶市場における構造的課題に対し、定義や基準の整備、国際的な対話と合意形成を通じて共通基盤を構築し、抹茶産業の持続可能で責任ある発展と長期的な価値創出に貢献してまいります。

理事には、国際的なコーヒー業界団体として最大級の規模を誇るSpecialty Coffee Association（SCA）のCEOであるYannis Apostolopoulos氏、食や文化領域における国際的なアドボケイトでありFuture Food Institute創設者のSara Roversi氏、UC Davis Global Tea InstituteのFounding DirectorであるKatharine P. Burnett教授、日本からは西製茶代表の西 利実氏が参画しております。代表理事（Representative Director / Founding Chair）は、理事の指名を受け、岩本 涼氏が務めております。

IMAは、今後順次公表する抹茶に関する定義、研究、教育、国際会議、アワード等を通じて、バリューチェーンに関わるすべてのステークホルダーと共通理解を育み、責任ある成長と長期的な価値創出を支える国際的な抹茶産業の基盤を構築します。今後の活動については、順次公開してまいります。

<Media Contact>

International Matcha Association

Tel: +81 50-1432-8320

Email: info@matcha-association.org

Website: https://matcha-association.org/