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More than a century later, with John Harrison, great-grandson of William H. Andrews, at the helm, Andrews & George Company Limited has evolved into a hugely successful global distributor. Harrison founded Ecotrend Ecologics Limited, a national natural health and wellness product distributor that serves over 5000 retailers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Andrews & George Company Limited has also seen tremendous success as a supplier of matcha tea, in bulk, to food chains, tea shops, and contract manufacturers. It is the parent company of D\u014dMatcha\u00ae, founded by Harrison in 2007, as a nod to his predecessor\u2019s legacy and ties with Japan. D\u014dMatcha\u00ae derives its name from Sad\u014d, \u201cthe Way of Tea,\u201d and is a fully- authentic Japanese matcha, now distributed and enjoyed globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bridges delves into the company\u2019s well-established presence and profound past, in this report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Andrews & George Limited was the first established foreign trading company in Japan. It was founded by William Andrews and Edward W. George. They primarily imported foodstuffs, specialized machinery, and tools to Japan, and the company has been a family-owned venture since inception. In a historic milestone in 1902, Andrews & George Company Limited imported the first automobile to Japan. Until WWII, business flourished under the watch of the dedicated staff in Tokyo. In 1939, Richard Andrews was forced to flee Japan before the war ensued. In 1946, he returned to a war-devastated Tokyo only to find a lone building still standing in the distance: Andrews & George. The Japanese staff had protected the business from the fire raging through the city by putting wet rice burlap bags on the building. When Richard Andrews reunited with his staff, they returned the building keys to him. Business continued to flourish after the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The business leadership and ownership is now under John Harrison, the great-grandson of William Andrews. Years after establishing his home and distribution business in Canada, British Columbia, John returned to Japan in 2005 in search of a new venture; one that paid homage to his Japanese roots. With newfound business partners based out of Japan, a mission was realized to bring matcha and its tradition to the West. In 2007 \u2014 having partnered with Kazunori Handa-san, Shohokuen CO., LTD, and Marukyu Koyamaen \u2014 Andrews & George Limited introduced D\u014dMatcha\u00ae to its portfolio of companies and started importing and distributing Japanese matcha in Canada and the United States. Because D\u014dMatcha\u00ae was the first of its kind in North America, it eventually began to spur a lot of attention and generate a lot of sales. After several years, flocks of matcha businesses would erupt throughout North America; further bringing business to Japanese matcha suppliers and growers.With the tremendous interest and growth of matcha in North America, the European markets also saw rapid growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Matcha is a very familiar substance in Japan, but even there, it\u2019s not consumed regularly. It\u2019s mostly reserved for special occasions or tea ceremonies, denoting the high value of this product. Most Japanese drink Sencha green tea (loose-leaf). This tradition has existed since matcha\u2019s inception around the 11th<\/sup> to 12th<\/sup> century in Japan. Matcha, a vibrant green tea made from finely ground Tencha was reserved for the nobility class and the Samurai, partly due to its labor-intensive processing. Prior to 2007, there were no matcha brands that existed in North America. When John Harrison visited Japan in 2005, he was inspired to bring matcha back to the West, because of the groundbreaking health benefits of green tea. Matcha \u2014 which is green tea in powdered form, where the full leaf is consumed \u2014 provides ten times the health benefits of steeped tea. Besides the nutritional benefits of matcha, John wanted to offer a new way of doing things; from relishing the slow preparation of the product to savoring the rejuvenating quality of matcha tea. This included the practice of traditionally whisking matcha with hot (175 F \/ 80 C) water to make tea. Initially, North Americans were not enthusiastic about whisking matcha, because it was a time-consuming process and not something that was familiar to the North American culture. The first retailer that agreed to carry D\u014dMatcha\u00ae was Whole Foods Market in West Vancouver. To overcome the barrier that deterred consumers from even trying matcha, John got creative and started making iced matcha \u201clattes\u201d with D\u014dMatcha\u00ae and almond milk. This made it very easy to sample, and within days, the product completely sold out at the store. He began to use a similar approach at other retailers. With this success D\u014dMatcha\u00ae was approached by Whole Foods USA. Entry into the USA market soon followed. Aside from North America, D\u014dMatcha\u00ae has been to trade shows in the United Arab Emirates, Russia, and Poland. It was well-received in business circles for its cognitive-enhancing properties, specifically its high L-theanine and moderate caffeine content. In Japan, Japanese retailers and business people were ecstatic about the widespread success that matcha was gaining, globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, D\u014dMatcha\u00ae is distinguished as a brand for honoring the timeless tradition and ritual of consuming matcha as a tea or a beverage. Where many brands have incorporated matcha into baked goods and confectionaries, D\u014dMatcha\u00ae strives to promote the consumption of matcha in its traditional form. As such, more consumers are now interested in learning about the history of matcha and how to prepare it with a whisk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, D\u014dMatcha\u00ae is distinguished as a brand for honoring the timeless tradition and ritual of consuming matcha as a tea or a beverage. Where many brands have incorporated matcha into baked goods and confectionaries, D\u014dMatcha\u00ae strives to promote the consumption of matcha in its traditional form.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Matcha has become popular in different continents outside North America like Europe, Middle East, and Asia. The success of D\u014dMatcha\u00ae in the North American markets, raised interest levels in many other countries where today, 17 years after its introduction, matcha is a global phenomenon. We love to see the tradition of matcha spread far beyond our homebase as we know each culture adds its own touch to this beautiful ingredient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In terms of accessibility, D\u014dMatcha\u00ae is carried in over 1500retail stores across North America. We consistently offer product training to enrich the experience of retailers\u2019 staff and their customers. We also work with various teams to help spread D\u014dMatcha\u00ae\u2019s vision far and wide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nCan you tell us about the rich history of Andrews & George Company Limited in Japan since its establishment in 1892? How has the company evolved over the years to become a prominent player in the Japanese market?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIn 2007, Andrews & George Company Limited ventured into the matcha business with the brand D\u014dMatcha\u00ae. Could you share the story behind this decision? What motivated the company to enter the matcha market, and how did it navigate the challenges of introducing matcha to Canada and to a global audience?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nD\u014dMatcha has successfully popularized matcha, worldwide. Could you discuss some of the strategies and initiatives implemented by Andrews & George Company Limited to make matcha more accessible and appealing to consumers around the world? How has the brand positioned itself in the global market?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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