Growing Something New: The Matcha Pilot Sprouting at The Gig East Source

By Shappelle Marshall

Daniel Lamm is betting that eastern North Carolina, and the right support system, could change what’s possible for regional growers.

Matcha has long been synonymous with Japan’s ancient tea-growing regions, where centuries of cultivation have produced some of the world’s most prized green tea. Now, through an innovative pilot program at The Gig East Source, that tradition is sprouting in an unlikely place: eastern North Carolina.

Daniel Lamm, a Gig East Exchange member and principal owner of DAL International, is using The Source greenhouse to test the feasibility of growing Camellia sinensis, the plant behind matcha production. While camellias are a familiar sight in North Carolina yards, Camellia sinensis is a distinct variety, Chinese camellia, and exploring its feasibility for harvest and matcha production here is precisely what makes this pilot so unique. The project is part of an international grant exploring matcha production and grading standards for a rapidly growing global market, where ceremonial-grade matcha can sell for as much as $4,000 per kilogram, according to CNN.

For Lamm, the project began with a combination of professional experience, international collaboration, and a bit of serendipity. After returning to Wilson after years in the U.S. Foreign Service, Lamm became involved in an international grant focused on matcha production and cultural agricultural exchanges between the United States and Japan. While looking for resources to support the project, he discovered Gig East and, inevitably, The Source. A facility uniquely suited to early-stage agricultural experimentation.

“It was extremely serendipitous,” Lamm said. “When I saw the site and the greenhouse space available, it was the perfect place to start testing this idea.”

Lamm began working with Gig East in October, formally moving the project into the greenhouse in December, where the plants have been growing under managed irrigation and supplemental lighting ever since.

Inside the greenhouse, the matcha pilot is still in its earliest phase. Many Camellia sinensis plants are only a few inches tall, and under traditional growing conditions, the tea crop can take four to six years to reach maturity for harvest.

By growing the plants in a controlled greenhouse environment, Lamm’s team is studying whether the growth cycle can be accelerated and whether matcha production could eventually become viable in eastern North Carolina.

“To start something like this entirely out of pocket, without expecting any return for several years, would be a major barrier,” Lamm said. “The Source helps bridge that gap by giving innovators a place to test new products and see if they can bring something to market before going bankrupt.”

The project remains in its research and development phase, with the grant team actively studying production processes and the plants themselves still in their earliest stages of growth. But for Lamm, that is precisely the point.

A new opportunity for regional growers

If successful, projects like the Matcha Pilot could open new possibilities for farmers across eastern North Carolina. Rather than focusing on large-scale farms, Lamm envisions a cooperative-style model involving smaller growers who might dedicate a few acres to tea production. Similar cooperative systems already exist in parts of Japan, where multiple small producers contribute to shared processing and distribution.

The concept could offer an alternative path for growers interested in specialty crops and niche markets. But for now, the focus remains on experimentation.

“Right now, it’s about seeing what works on a small scale, figuring out models that make sense, and learning how growers can participate without taking huge risks,” Lamm said.

From idea to action

Beyond the greenhouse itself, Lamm says the support network surrounding The Source has played a critical role in moving the project forward.

Through the Gig East Alliance community, entrepreneurs gain access to mentorship, business development resources, and connections with other innovators in the Wilson community. Membership provides access to legal, marketing, and financial resources alongside the kind of peer network that new businesses rarely find on their own. For Lamm, that has meant keeping overhead manageable while the project is still in its earliest stages. For agricultural startups, that ecosystem can make the difference between an idea staying on paper and becoming a real project.

“It’s a great opportunity to not only learn, but make it affordable,” Lamm said.

For farmers or entrepreneurs curious about exploring specialty crops, Lamm’s advice is simple: start experimenting.

“Get your hands dirty,” he said. “You can’t sell anything until you actually have a product. That means planting, testing, learning, and figuring out what works.” For those looking to start, he points to The Source itself and the broader Gig East community, where ideas can move from concept to experimentation.

At The Source, that process has a place to begin.

About the Source

Gig East Source helps small and medium-sized farms and agricultural entrepreneurs test new farming technology in real-world growing environments. As part of the Gig East ecosystem alongside The Exchange, The Source is a smart agriculture testbed at the intersection of entrepreneurship, science, technology, and the natural world.

The Source features three tech-enabled structures: one greenhouse and two high tunnels. It is currently hosting pilot projects and prospecting future members.

If you have a project you think would thrive at the Source or are interested in future membership, contact Emily Wells at ewells@wilsonnc.org.