Wholesale Hojicha Powder for Cafés in India: How to Source It and Build a Hojicha Menu

Hojicha is starting to appear on café menus across India, usually right next to matcha. It is warm, toasty and gentle, and it gives guests a Japanese tea option for the evening, when many people avoid a strong caffeine hit. If you run a café, cloud kitchen, dessert studio or food brand, this guide covers how to source wholesale hojicha powder, what to check before you buy in bulk, and the drinks that work best on a menu.

What is hojicha?

Hojicha is Japanese green tea that has been roasted. Roasting turns the leaves reddish-brown and changes the flavour completely: the grassy notes of green tea give way to a toasty, nutty, slightly caramel taste with very little bitterness. Hojicha powder is the roasted tea ground fine, so it mixes straight into water or milk, just like matcha, with no steeping or straining.

Why cafés are adding hojicha to the menu

• It fills the evening slot. Hojicha is generally lower in caffeine than matcha, so it suits guests who want a tea latte later in the day.
• It pairs beautifully with milk. The toasty flavour works with dairy, oat and almond milk, and holds up well in both hot and iced drinks.
• It is easy to like. Guests who find matcha too grassy often enjoy hojicha straight away.
• It uses the same workflow as matcha. Same tools, same bar steps, same training. Adding it to an existing matcha menu takes very little effort.
• It stands out. Far fewer cafés in India serve hojicha than matcha, so it gives your menu something guests remember.

Hojicha vs matcha for a café menu

	Matcha	Hojicha
Flavour	Bright, grassy, umami	Toasty, nutty, caramel-like
Colour	Vivid green	Warm reddish-brown
Caffeine	Moderate	Generally lower
Best time of day	Morning and afternoon	Afternoon and evening
Best drinks	Iced matcha latte, matcha straight	Hojicha latte, iced hojicha, desserts

Most cafés do best serving both: matcha for the morning crowd and hojicha for the afternoon and evening. Read our full hojicha vs matcha guide for more on the differences.

What to check before buying hojicha in bulk

Not all hojicha powder is the same. Before you commit to a wholesale supplier, check these points:

1. Made in Japan. Ask where the tea is grown and roasted. Japanese hojicha has the clean, toasty flavour guests expect.
2. 100% tea, nothing added. Many "hojicha latte" products are premixes with sugar, milk powder or flavouring. Pure hojicha powder lets you control sweetness and keeps your menu clean-label.
3. Fine, even powder. A fine grind dissolves quickly in a little hot water without clumps, which matters during a busy service.
4. Consistent roast. The colour and aroma should be the same from one batch to the next, so your drinks taste the same every day.
5. Airtight, light-proof packing. Hojicha loses its aroma when exposed to air, light and moisture.
6. Compliance. Make sure the supplier packs and sells under an FSSAI licence.
7. Support. A good supplier helps with recipes, ratios and staff training, not just delivery.

Ask for a sample before placing a larger order. Make it as a latte with your own milk and cups, the way your guests will drink it.

Hojicha drinks that sell

• Hot hojicha latte. The classic. Dissolve the powder in a little hot water, then add steamed milk.
• Iced hojicha latte. Make a slightly stronger concentrate and pour over ice and cold milk. Great for summer menus.
• Hojicha with oat milk. Oat milk brings out the nutty, toasty notes.
• Hojicha and matcha side by side. A tasting flight of one small matcha and one small hojicha is an easy way to introduce both.
• Hojicha desserts. Hojicha works well in cakes, cookies, ice cream, panna cotta and affogato-style desserts.

A simple hojicha latte recipe

1. Add about 1 to 2 teaspoons of hojicha powder to a cup.
2. Add a small splash of hot water and mix or whisk until smooth.
3. Top up with 150 to 200 ml of steamed milk.
4. Sweeten lightly if you like. Hojicha needs much less sugar than most drinks.

Adjust the amount of powder to your cup size and how strong you want it, then fix the recipe so every barista makes it the same way.

How to store hojicha powder

• Keep it sealed in an airtight container, away from heat, light and moisture.
• Keep only what you need for a few days at the bar, and store the rest sealed in a cool, dry place.
• Use opened packs within a few weeks for the best aroma.

Source hojicha and matcha from one supplier

Nokū supplies cafés, cloud kitchens, dessert studios and food brands across India with Japanese hojicha powder and first flush ceremonial matcha from Kagoshima. Buying both from one supplier keeps your tea menu consistent and simplifies ordering. We also help with recipes and staff training, and reply to enquiries within 1 to 2 working days.

Enquire about wholesale hojicha and matcha, or try our hojicha powder first. For matcha, see our guide to choosing a matcha wholesale supplier in India.

Frequently asked questions

Is hojicha caffeine-free?

No. Hojicha contains some caffeine, but it is generally lower than matcha, which is why many cafés offer it as an afternoon or evening drink.

Can hojicha powder be used in baking?

Yes. Hojicha powder works well in cakes, cookies, ice cream and other desserts, adding a warm, toasty flavour and a soft brown colour.

Is hojicha powder the same as a hojicha latte mix?

No. Pure hojicha powder is 100% roasted tea. Latte mixes usually contain sugar, milk powder or flavouring. For cafés, pure powder gives better flavour and more control over the recipe.

Does Nokū supply hojicha in bulk?

Yes. Nokū supplies hojicha powder and ceremonial matcha powder in bulk to cafés, cloud kitchens and food brands across India. Send a wholesale enquiry and we will reply within 1 to 2 working days.