Introducing Our New Packaging
You may notice a new look across Sugimoto Tea products. Our updated packaging is now live in our online shop, with in-store packaging transitioning gradually over time.
As we mark 80 years of Sugimoto Tea, we’ve updated our packaging to better reflect who we are today and to make our lineup easier to understand, while the tea itself remains unchanged.
This update comes from a place of gratitude. Gratitude for the farmers, employees, partners, and customers who have shaped Sugimoto Tea over the past eight decades.
It is a clearer expression of what has always guided us. Not a change to how we make tea, but a new way of sharing our values with care and intention.
Why We Updated Our Packaging
As Sugimoto Tea continues to grow, we are grateful to see more people discovering our teas for the first time. Over the years, our lineup has also expanded, offering more ways to enjoy Japanese tea in everyday life.
With this growth and as we enter our 80th year, we felt it was important for our packaging to speak more clearly. We wanted it to better reflect our values, our relationships, and the care that goes into every tea we make, while helping customers find the teas that suit them most easily.
This update allows our packaging to feel more intentional, consistent, and true to the Sugimoto story.
Rooted in Our History
Sugimoto Tea began in 1946, when Zenichi Sugimoto delivered hand-crafted tea by bicycle in Shizuoka. From the beginning, the company was built on sincerity, care, and respect for the people behind every cup.
What began as one person has grown into something much larger, but the heart of our work has never changed. We have always believed that good tea begins with good relationships.
That way of thinking continues today.
As second-generation tea maker Hiroyuki Sugimoto once shared:
“I’m proud of the many awards I have received, but the most important thing to me is customer satisfaction. Ultimately, customers like you decide whether my teas are worthy of these awards. If my customers aren’t happy, these awards mean nothing to me.”
This perspective continues to guide how we make tea and how we approach every decision, including this new packaging.
The Meaning Behind the Design
At the heart of our new packaging is mizuhiki, a traditional Japanese art of knot tying made from twisted paper cords. Mizuhiki is commonly used for gift giving and ceremonial occasions, where it expresses gratitude, sincerity, and care.
For us, mizuhiki represents the concept of En (縁), the invisible connections that link people to one another. These threads connect tea farmers and us as tea makers, our employees and wholesale partners, tradition and the present, and Sugimoto Tea with the people who enjoy our teas each day.
Our new packaging reflects the journey of tea, from the fields where it is grown, to the hands that craft it, and finally to the spaces where it is shared and enjoyed.
The musubi knots used on our packaging are not meant to be undone. As the ends are pulled, the knot tightens rather than loosens. This reflects the relationships we value most, relationships that deepen over time through care, trust, and continued connection.
A Clearer Way to Navigate Our Teas
Along with the new look, we introduced a clearer packaging system based on tea categories.
While the mizuhiki remains a unifying element, the knot itself shifts in form depending on the category of tea. In Japanese tradition, mizuhiki used for celebrations often follows specific conventions, including the use of odd numbers of strands chosen with intention.
In our packaging, we use three- and five-strand mizuhiki designs, along with simple icons, to help distinguish our signature tea, tea bags, and powdered products. These details are designed to make our lineup easier to navigate while remaining cohesive and easy to recognize.
Our hope is that this makes exploring Sugimoto Tea feel more intuitive, whether you are discovering us for the first time or returning to a familiar favorite.
Product Name Updates
To further improve clarity, some product names have been updated to better describe what is inside each package. The teas themselves have not changed.
Here are the updates you may notice:
- Organic Matcha Sencha is now Sencha with Matcha
- Matcha Genmaicha is now Genmaicha with Matcha *This applies to both the conventional and organic lines
- Organic Yuzu Matcha Kukicha is now Organic Yuzu Kukicha with Matcha
- Organic Ceremonial Matcha is now Organic Ceremonial Matcha Yui (結)
The name Yui (結) means connection and unity, reflecting the spirit behind the new packaging.
This update applies to the names and packaging only. Our teas remain unchanged.
What Is Changing and What Is Staying the Same
Our packaging design and product structure have evolved to offer greater clarity.
What has not changed is what matters most to us. We continue to work with the same farmers and maintain the same direct relationships that have shaped Sugimoto Tea over many years. These relationships are especially important today, as producing high-quality Japanese tea requires long-term trust, care, and commitment in an industry facing ongoing change.
Our blending philosophy, quality standards, and approach to safety remain unchanged.This update is about how we share our teas, not how we make them.
When You Will See the New Packaging
As we transition, you may see both the previous and new packaging available at the same time, depending on where you shop and current inventory.
Both versions are authentic Sugimoto Tea products, made with the same care and attention. During this period, the tea inside is identical, regardless of which packaging you receive.
Thank You for Being Part of Our Story
This rebranding is our way of expressing gratitude. Gratitude to the farmers who grow our tea and to the customers who have supported us over the years.
We truly appreciate being part of your tea routine and look forward to continuing to share Japanese tea with you.