Who we are

From harvest to chawan, we believe good tea is always worth slowing down for.

Truce Tea Co. approaches matcha with a focus on authenticity and restraint. We taste widely and curate sparingly, honouring its limited and variable nature. Each grade has been selected from renowned Japanese matcha producers, with aroma, texture, notes, and finish considered as parts of a whole.

Our individual teas may come and go, rotating depending on their seasonal expression and availability, which we believe is exactly as it should be. Pauses between restocks only add to our appreciation for matcha’s limited, time-bound nature.

Ultimately, we believe that “our” tea does not belong to us, but rather the families, farmers, experts, and partners who make it possible for us to enjoy it.

Local origins

We are a small, female-owned and operated business based in Vancouver, Canada.

Respectfully sourced

We are closely partnered with an authorized tea importer and distributer who has spent over a decade cultivating trusting relationships with the Japanese suppliers you can find in our shop. We choose to only carry matcha from reputable producers in Japan and we keep it in its original packaging, ensuring transparent origins, tea freshness and integrity, and matcha that always meets our high standards.

Our commitment

We are guided by what we believe the tea community is meant to embody: honesty, simplicity, and respect for both the art of tea and its enthusiasts. These principles guide our every business and operational decision.

Why “Truce?”

A truce is a temporary respite, a peaceful meeting point, a solution. We view our tea company as a “truce” between our passion for matcha and the importance of mindful restraint; a balance between respect for the ancient heritage of Japanese teas and our desire to explore, taste, and enjoy freely. We wanted to create a space where matcha could be experienced with both curiosity and care.

We believe a smaller offering can create a deeper experience, one that leaves room for presence, for attention, and a tea experience that feels truly grounding.

About the founder

Truce is the passion project of Alena Tran, who for years has dreamed of sharing her favourite Japanese teas with thoughtfulness, transparency, and a focus on education.

Her love of tea began at the age of six when her grandmother introduced her to strong black tea (with lots of milk and sugar, of course). She tasted her first cup of matcha as a young adult, and for the past ten years has been an avid enthusiast, diving deep into the world of matcha and absorbing as much as she can about its nuances and applications.

She considers herself a lifelong student of tea and is excited to invite others into this journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

While Truce does not currently offer wholesale, we would be happy to help connect you with a trusted local distributor for your cafe. Please email us at hello@trucetea.com for more information.
Truce operates in close partnership with a local authorized importer and distributer of Marukyu Koyamaen, Yamamasa Koyamaen, and Hoshino Seicha-en, who has spent a decade cultivating trusting relationships with each. They work directly with each supplier to bring our shop genuine Japanese teas, using the fastest shipping services available to ensure the freshest possible tea.
We are proud to be one of the few retailers in Vancouver offering Hoshino Seicha-en thanks to our dedicated sourcing relationship.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out at hello@trucetea.com.
Truce currently operates online-only, but we hope to offer pop-up experiences in the future. Please sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop.
Yes. Expansions to our collection will happen gradually and thoughtfully over time.
While our suppliers offer a wide range of grades and blends, we’ve chosen to start with a small, intentional collection for matcha enthusiasts to discover. We consider each tea’s notes, how it behaves, its best applications, as well as its reception among our friends in the matcha community. The result is a delicious selection that meets our standards for quality and taste.
“Ceremonial grade” is a popular Western marketing term, but it holds no real meaning. It implies that the matcha is of high enough quality to be enjoyed as usucha, or “thin tea.” The term is not regulated; therefore, any seller can claim that their matcha is ceremonial grade. While nearly all of the matchas we carry are excellent choices for usucha, we avoid using the term “ceremonial” to avoid perpetuating misconceptions.
All of our matcha is sourced from established, world-renowned Japanese producers who hold their matcha to exceptionally high standards. Each producer chooses their own way of grading and categorize their matcha, typically recommending certain matchas for certain applications, such as lattes, usucha, or koicha. That’s how we choose to describe our products, based on both our founder’s knowledge / testing and the producer’s recommendation.
For more information, please read our matcha glossary.
At this time, we ship within Canada. We hope to expand to the US and additional countries in the future.
We are in the process of sourcing teaware, with the goal of collaborating with local artisans wherever possible. Stay tuned!

Please note that all photography used on our website and marketing materials is taken by our founder and is the sole property of Truce Tea Co., unless otherwise stated. Images may not be used or reproduced without permission.