07.12.2011: Yoshio Sugita, President of Aiya, visiting Amanprana

Christophe Wallner, Thomas Groemer and Yoshio Sugita from matcha specialist Aiya. Serge Restiau, Maurice Le Clef, Bart Maes and Chantal Voets from Bertyn Seitan and Amanprana Superfood (from top left to right and from bottom left to right) 7.12.2011

Amanprana had the honour of welcoming Yoshio Sugita, President of Aiya Japan, Thomas M. Groemer, Director of Aiya Europe, and Christophe Wallner, logistics staff of Aiya Europe, to the Amanprana production facility in Schoten on 7 December 2011.

Amanprana has its kotobuki matcha grown, harvested and finished by what is probably the best house for organic ceremonial green tea from Japan: Aiya, established in 1888. Amanprana is proud to have found the perfect matcha partner, one that considers quality and nutritional value to be of paramount importance.

Yoshio Sugita, President of Aiya ceremonial green tea and matcha receives Gula Java Matcha from Amanprana.	Thomas Groemer, green tea guru, Director of Aiya Europe, receives Hermanos Catalan organic olive oil, voted best olive oil in Spain in 2011, from Amanprana.

Gifts were exchanged. A first for Europe, Amanprana received a gift of “Super Ten Matcha” in an authentic Japanese tea box of cedar, finished with stainless steel inside. Very little “Super Ten Matcha” is harvested and processed and its price will likely be 3 x more expensive than the famous “Ten” from Aiya. The colour is dark bright green and the aroma is 110% of what premium matcha should smell like.

Bart Maes, founder of Amanapana Superfood, and Yoshio Sugita, President of Aiya ceremonial green tea, shake hands alongside Chantal Voets, co-founder of Amanprana, with Super Ten Matcha in the other hand.

Chantal Voets, co-founder of Amanprana Superfood and www.amanvida.eu organic webstore receives a hand-painted shawl from Aiya, ceremonial green tea and matcha specialist.

Serge Restiau from Seitan Bertyn shakes hands with Yoshio Sugita, matcha specialist. Serge with authentic tea box and Yoshio Sugita with Gula Java Matcha and organic olive oil, Hermanos Catalan.

Maurice Le Clef, Amanprana Superfood, and Yoshio Sugita, matcha and ceremonial green tea specialist, shake hands.

Yoshio Sugita and Bart Maes, founder of Amanprana, share the same charitable organisation: Save the Sea. With Kotobuki Matcha from Amanprana, Aiya planted mangrove trees in Thailand and Indonesia. Mangrove forests are breeding grounds for fish. First, 6,300 mangrove plants were purchased in 2001 for the idyllic island of Palawan in the Philippines. In 2003, 12,300 mangrove plants were purchased for Ranong in Thailand; in 2005, 4,200 mangrove trees for Pulau Lombok in Indonesia; in 2007, 13,000 mangrove trees for Ranong in Thailand; in 2009, 500 mangrove plants for Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia; and in 2011, 5,700 mangrove plants for Bali, Indonesia. And with its Kotobuki Matcha, Amanprana helps Aiya to continue planting mangrove trees … .

Mangrove trees

With its Kotobuki Matcha, Amanprana helps Aiya to continue planting mangrove trees

Amanprana helps Aiya. In 2011, 5,700 mangrove plants for Bali, Indonesia.