ITO EN Australia Pty Ltd, is a 100% owned subsidiary of the largest Green Tea manufacturer in Japan - ITO EN, LTD. In 1993, the Victorian Government invited ITO EN, LTD to start growing Japanese green tea in Australia. We researched for the best location for growing the Japanese tea cultivar all over Australia and finally discovered North East Victoria had the best agricultural conditions for the varieties. ITO EN wanted to grow Japanese tea in Australia because of the lack of tea related pests and diseases that are found In Japan, and to ensure that there was a stable supply of freshly processed tea in the non-harvesting season in Japan.
In 1994, preparation of ITO EN Australia and the first proposal to import green tea plants from Japan had taken place; however, all the seedlings perished after the rigorous quarantine treatment. In 1995, ITO EN Australia had some discussions with AQIS about the method of importing tea plants and conducted tests and tried importing several times. Finally, we succeeded in keeping the plants alive. In 1996, we settled the plants at a nursery in Thornton Victoria and testing the growth pattern and propagation of the plants commenced.
By 2000, we started to look for potential growers to grow tea plants. We encountered difficulties in finding them because in the past no one had experienced cultivation of Japanese tea plants in Victoria and it required at least 4 years from planting before the first harvest. We invited potential growers to Japan to demonstrate the tea farming practice and developed a relationship with the growers to become partners. In September 2000, we began propagation of green tea plants and by the end of 2000; we signed the final contracts with growers. May of 2001 saw the first planting of the tea plants at the farms.
In July 2003, it was the start of the preparation to build a tea processing facility in Wangaratta (North East Victoria), with construction beginning in April 2004 with the installation of the 1st processing line starting in September 2004.
October 2004 was the official opening of the factory with various VIP’s from Australia and Japan, along with local government representatives, growers and other officials celebrating the day and after a successful opening, the real job of manufacturing of crude tea began.
By 2008 the additional processing line was needed and the 2nd processing line was installed in September and in operation by October. Until 2010, the most of our crude tea was exported to Japan but it was also the time when we remodelled our business to started our local distribution exercises of our tea into Australian Food Market.
In September 2010, formation of our Sales Department was achieved to commence our own wholesales exercises of the locally crafted tea as well as many other imported soft drinks and Japanese tea products in Australia. Today, a variety of ITO EN products are available at local super markets and independent grocery stores. Products such as Matcha, a highly prized Japanese special tea product and our world’s first invented unsweetened bottled Ice Tea are fulfilling a health-conscious demand of Australian customers.
From October 2018, ITOEN’s flagship brand Oi Ocha Green Tea, has been formulated with 100% Australian grown green tea, in doing so delivers a healthier lifestyle, a peace of mind, and also joy through Japanese culture to the local consumers.
In 2019, the preparation started for building refining and tea bagging facilities next to its fresh leaf processing plant in Wangaratta, North East Victoria, with construction beginning in October 2019 and the 1st processing line started in March 2020.
With the introduction of the refining and tea bagging facilities, the tea leaf for Matcha Green Tea teabags has been refined and packaged in Australia.
The completion of this facility has put into place the final link in the vertically integrated production system, from the growing of the tea leaf to final tea bag product. This also marks ITO EN’s first vertically integrated production line outside of Japan, another big step forward.
