05/07/2025

LYFE SATURDAY | JULY 5, 2025

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Matcha fad goes out of control M ATCHA is the drink of choice at hip cafes worldwide, but Japanese producers are struggling to keep up with soaring demand for the powdered green tea. Masahiro Okutomi, who is a tea producer in Sayama, northwest of Tokyo. Tencha leaves, rich in chlorophyll and L-theanine, a compound known for its relaxing effects, are o Beverage conquering taste buds globally

hand-picked and deveined, then steamed, dried and ground between two stone mills to produce an ultra-fine powder. It can take up to an hour to produce just 40g of matcha – making the powder on average twice as expensive to produce as standard green tea leaves. What are its benefits? Many drink matcha for its rich grass-like taste, but others are drawn to the drink’s nutritional properties. It is rich in antioxidants, and can aid concentration because of its caffeine content: one cup contains on average 48mg, slightly less than a drip coffee but nearly twice as much as a standardly brewed green tea. “Matcha is often seen as being good for your health. “But people are also attracted to the Japanese culture around tea: the ritual, the time taken, the aesthetics,” said Tokyo tea shop Jugetsudo manager Shigehito Nishikida. Why is it so popular? Japan produced 4,176 tonnes of matcha in 2023 – a huge increase from the 1,430 tonnes in 2012. More than half of the powder is exported, according to the

Here is what you need to know about the drink beloved of weekend treat-seekers and “wellness” influencers: What is matcha? The word matcha means “ground tea” in Japanese and comes in the form of a vivid green powder that is whisked with hot water and can be added to milk to make a matcha latte. Green tea was introduced to Japan from China in the early ninth century, and was first used for medicinal purposes. Matcha came much later, in 16th century Kyoto – part of the tea ceremony tradition developed by tea master Sen no Rikyu. Today, there are different grades of matcha quality, from “ceremonial” to “culinary” types used in baking. How is it produced? Matcha is made from leaves called “tencha”, which are grown in the shade in the final weeks before their harvest to concentrate the flavour, colour and nutrients. This “requires the construction of a complex structure with poles and a roof to filter the light”, explained “One of the things we struggle with is telling customers that, unfortunately, we do not have” what they want, he said. With its deep grassy aroma, intense colour and pick-me-up effects, the popularity of matcha “has grown just exponentially over the last decade, but much more so in the last two to three years,” the 40-year-old explained. It is now “a cultural touchpoint in the Western world” – found everywhere from ice-cream flavour boards to Starbucks. This has caused matcha’s market to nearly double over a year, Mangan said. “No matter what we try, there is just not more to buy.” Thousands of kilometres away in Sayama, northwest of Tokyo, Masahiro Okutomi – the 15th generation to run his family’s tea business – is overwhelmed by demand. “I had to put on our website that we are not accepting any more matcha orders,” he said. Producing the powder is an intensive process: the leaves, called “tencha”, are shaded for several weeks before harvest, to concentrate the taste and nutrients.

The word matcha means ‘ground tea’ in Japanese and comes in the form of a vivid green powder that is whisked with hot water and can be added to milk to make a matcha latte.

cooking, extending its appeal to others aside from tea lovers. “Some customers simply enjoy drinking it, others like preparing it themselves. And of course, many buy it as a gift – Japanese matcha is always appreciated,” said Nishikida. – AFP Tariff threat Anita Jordan, a 49-year-old Australian tourist in Japan, said her “kids are obsessed with matcha”. “They sent me on a mission to find the best one,” she laughed. The global matcha market is estimated to be worth billions of dollars, but it could be hit by US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Japanese products – currently 10%, with a hike to 24% in the cards. Shortages and tariffs mean “we do have to raise prices. We do not take it lightly,” said Mangan at Kettl Tea, though it has not dampened demand so far. “Customers are saying: ‘I want matcha, before it runs out’.” At Kettl Tea, matcha can be mixed with milk in a latte or enjoyed straight, hand-whisked with hot water in a ceramic bowl to better appreciate its subtle taste. It is not a cheap treat: the latter option costs at least US$10 (RM42) per glass, while 20g of powder to make the drink at home is priced between US$25 and US$150. Japan’s government is encouraging tea producers to farm on a larger scale to reduce costs. But that risks sacrificing quality, and “in small rural areas, it is almost impossible”, grower Okutomi said. The number of tea plantations in Japan has fallen to a quarter of what it was 20 years ago, as farmers age and find it difficult to secure successors, he added. “Training a new generation takes time. It cannot be improvised,” Okutomi said. – AFP

bamboo whisk. “I feel like Gen Z really drove this enthusiasm for matcha, and they heavily relied on social media to do so,” said Stevie Youssef, a 31-year-old marketing professional at a matcha bar in Los Angeles. Matcha can also be used in

agriculture ministry, mostly to the US, Southeast Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. Millions of videos on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube demonstrate how to make photogenic matcha drinks or choose a traditional “chasen”

Demand for Japanese green ‘wonder’ drink causes global shortage AT a minimalist Los Angeles matcha bar, powdered Japanese tea is prepared with precision, despite a global shortage driven by the bright green drink’s social media stardom. Of the 25 types of matcha on the menu at Kettl Tea, which opened on Hollywood Boulevard this year, all but four were out of stock, said the shop’s founder Zach Mangan.

Customers queuing outside the Milia Matcha shop before its opening in Tokyo. – PICS FROM AFP They are then carefully deveined by hand, dried and finely ground in a machine. Long-term endeavour

half of the 8,798 tonnes of green tea exported from Japan, according to agriculture ministry data – twice as much as a decade ago. Tokyo tea shop Jugetsudo, in the touristy former fish market area of Tsukiji, is trying to control its stock levels given the escalating demand. “We do not strictly impose purchase limits, but we sometimes refuse to sell large quantities to customers suspected of reselling,” said store manager Shigehito Nishikida. “In the past two or three years, the craze has intensified: customers now want to make matcha themselves, like they see on social media,” he added.

matcha products. At the pastel-pink pop-up shop she opened in Tokyo’s hip Harajuku district, dozens of fans were excitedly waiting to take a photo with the 23 year-old Frenchwoman or buy her cans of strawberry or white chocolate flavoured matcha. “Matcha is visually very appealing,” said Ella. To date, her matcha brand, produced in Japan’s rural Mie region, has sold 133,000 cans. Launched in November 2023, it now has eight employees. “Demand has not stopped growing,” she said. In 2024, matcha accounted for over

“It takes years of training to make matcha properly. It is a long-term endeavour requiring equipment, labour and investment. I am glad the world is taking an interest in our matcha but in the short term, it is almost a threat – we just cannot keep up,” Okutomi said. The matcha boom has been fuelled by online influencers such as Andie Ella, who has more than 600,000 subscribers on YouTube and started her own brand of