The Kumiko Matcha Journey

The story behind Kumiko Matcha

At 17, I had my first heart attack.

As I was leaving the hospital, a doctor told me: “Valentin, we don't know what you have or how to treat you. We only know that it can start again at any time. Make the most of your life.”

I was in shock for a week. Then I realized that it was the most beautiful gift life had given me.

Overnight, as if flipping a switch, everything changed. I decided to live in the present moment, to free myself from my fears and limiting beliefs. To pursue my dreams, live a life full of adventures, and make the most of every day as if it were the last.

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I lived day to day. Intensely.

Every morning, as I swallowed my pills, I wondered: “If this were my last day, what would I do with it?”

I wanted to experience everything. All the experiences life could offer me, I had to live them as soon as possible, because with every day that passed, my life could end. My new mantra: “If something scares you, do it now.”

I created the Super Vagabond blog to share my story and my adventures, which you can also follow on my YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/supervagabond

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At 19, I had another heart attack.

Lying in the ambulance, electrodes on my chest in case they needed to shock me, I stared at the electrocardiogram. Record noted: 247 beats per minute.

With every second, my heart grew weaker. I told myself that I was ready to go, so grateful for everything life had given me. And then: "But if I survive… wow! I'll live even more fully, I'll chase my dreams, I'll inspire people and I'll share what life has given me."

I survived. The doctor told me: "Valentin, we don't know what you have or how to treat you, and it can happen again at any time. Enjoy your life. And take a double dose of medication."

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Some unexpected news

One day, I realized I was living as if every day were my last… and that I was still alive! I also had to live with a vision for the future.

In 2013, five years after my first attack, the doctors called me back: they had found a way to treat me. An operation, and overnight, I was cured. No more medication, no more heart problems. I am so grateful for it 🙏

My greatest lesson is my message to you: “Live as if you were going to die tomorrow and as if you were going to live forever.” An echo of Kumiko Matcha's slogan: eternal beauty, starting now.

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My first matcha in Shanghai

In 2012, I was working in Shanghai alongside my first mentor, Vince, with whom I created a French wine brand for the Chinese market. That’s where I tasted “green tea powder” for the first time, in a Starbucks green tea latte.

Then I discovered real matcha, and with it its traditional ritual, its benefits, and its connection to meditation. I began drinking it every morning, and this habit gradually led me toward a healthier, more mindful life: a ritual that energizes the body as much as it refreshes the mind.

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The birth of Kumiko Matcha

When I returned to France, I couldn't find a quality matcha. Matcha was still little known there, and the selection available didn't suit me.

I had always dreamed of bringing back a gem from my travels to share with my community. That's how Kumiko Matcha was born: to help people discover organic premium matcha in France, and with it a healthy, mindful way of life.

Because for me, matcha is a form of beauty, inside and out: good habits, antioxidants, a moment of meditation… A beauty that is cultivated every day, starting now.

The benefits of matcha

Every year since 2013, I have traveled to Japan

Every year, I travel to Japan to meet our partner farmers and select the finest cultivars with them. Together, we prioritize micro-lots and exceptional terroirs that you won’t find anywhere else.

I know each producer personally: their gestures, their craftsmanship, their commitment to organic and respectful farming. This bond of trust, woven year after year, is what gives our matcha its soul.

Because at Kumiko, matcha is not just a product: it is an encounter, a human connection, a promise of authenticity.

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What I look for in every matcha I select

Six criteria that have guided every choice I've made for 13 years.

A clear origin

I always know where each tea comes from: the region, the plot, and the hands that cultivated it. With matcha, you consume the whole leaf, so this traceability is the very first thing I check.

A delicious, non-bitter taste

Umami, the fifth taste according to the Japanese: a gentle roundness, almost sweet, that lingers long after the last sip.

A vivid color and a fine texture

Kumiko Matcha keeps only the flesh of the leaves, finely ground. Elsewhere, everything is often ground—stems and veins included—so the powder turns brown and bitter.

The partner farmers I know

Having worked directly with my farmers in Japan for years, I know how each tea is grown and harvested. I can guarantee what I sell.

An organic or natural approach

All our matcha is organic or grown using natural farming methods, pesticide-free. Out of respect for the health of the farmers as well as those who drink their tea.

A story behind every tea

Our matcha bears the trace of a terroir, a cultivar and the farmer who gave it life. These details are what give it its full character.

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100% Japan, traceable back to the partner farmer

Blends of origins, sometimes outside Japan

Origine

Premium organic matcha, smooth, velvety, non-bitter

Culinary-grade matcha or low-grade, bitter and gritty

Culture

Shade-grown harvest, stone grinding, traditional method

Mechanical harvesting, leaves exposed to sunlight

Production

Human and sustainable partnerships with farmers

Aucun contact direct

Relation producteur

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rated 4.92/5

Recommended by 3000+ satisfied customers

My everyday matcha

This is my everyday matcha. I add plant-based milk or regular milk, enjoy it plain, or mix it with fruit for a change. Since discovering Kumiko Matcha, I've become a matcha fan. Each matcha has its own distinct flavor and, above all, no bitterness. The best.

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Very, very good matcha

My life can no longer go on without matcha!!! It has become a perfect and healthy addiction. The Saemidori has a beautiful color, it has a taste that is neither too much nor too little, I don't know how to explain it, little to no bitterness, and that's what I like.

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Won over

This isn’t my first order, and it certainly won’t be my last either! Kumiko Matcha’s matcha is nothing like anything I’d tasted before. The quality, the color, and the absence of bitterness won me over… try it and you’ll be hooked!

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Trop Bon!

I recommend Kumiko Matcha to anyone looking for a quality matcha green tea. The taste is very smooth and you have energy all day long. Delivery is always impeccable.

The best of the best

This is the best organic matcha you can make. It has been my favorite from Kumiko Matcha for years, and among all the other organic matchas I've tasted.

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