If you drink coffee or are into your teas, you’ve probably come across matcha.
Originating from China, but later created in Japan, Matcha has exploded into a new phenomenon that is disrupting the food and drink industry. In fact, the matcha market is expected to reach USD 2.46 billion in 2025 (Mordor) making it an industry worth watching.
But what is matcha? And which startups are piling in on the trend? Let’s take a look?
What is Matcha?
Matcha is a finely ground green tea powder that has been processed from shade-grown tea leaves. This shade growing is an important part of the process, as it gives matcha its bright colour and strong flavour.
Today, most of the matcha created comes from Japan – where their traditional tea ceremony focuses on how to prepare and drink it.
However, the matcha flavour has expanded beyond just tea, with noodles, ice cream and other products being made using its flavour.
Why is Matcha Good For You?
Matcha isn’t just a tasty drink, it also has a number of health and wellbeing benefits, some of these include:
·¡²Ô±ð°ù²µ²â:ÌýUnlike coffee, which is highly caffeinated, matcha contains an amino acid that slows down this release and gives drinkers an energy boost without the crash.
Detox: Matcha contains chlorophyll which helps flush out toxins from the liver.
°Â±ð±ô±ô²ú±ð¾±²Ô²µ:ÌýMatcha has been shown to boost brain function, benefit the immune system and fight inflammation, particularly in the heart.
What Does Matcha Taste Like?
Not all matchas are made equal, but in general, matcha is known for its umami, earthy taste. This distinctive flavour has not only made the drink popular, but has also made it recognisable when mixed with other products, further boosting its popularity.
In general however, the taste of matcha is known to be a mix of sweet and bitter, with distinctive earthy tones. However, the strength of the flavour does change from one supplier to another.
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With all these benefits, it’s no surprise that so many startups have emerged to innovate the world of matcha.
Let’s take a look at some of them.
Matchaful
Matchaful specialises in creating high-quality Japanese matcha.
With tea leaves grown on family farms in Japan, the company has a range of products including a matcha tea set and high-grade matcha powder.
Before being sold, their matcha goes through intense testing for radiation, heavy metals and pesticides, meaning consumers can be sure they are getting the best product.
Cuzen Matcha
Matcha preparation can be a delicate task, but is an important part of the process to help get all the nutritional benefits out of the tea.
To help people master this, Cuzen have created a matcha preparation machine, allowing people to have expertly prepared matcha with the click of a button.
Their tea blends are designed to be correctly processed by the machine, giving people tasty and expertly prepared matcha to drink on demand.
Matcha & Co
Matcha & Co sells premium matcha tea, originating from Uji, Japan. The company has blends that they say improve skin, digestion, wellbeing and prevent signs of aging.
Their teas are also infused with other vitamins and minerals that help people get the nutrients they need.
MatchaBar
MatchaBar creates tasty matcha that is on a mission to bring matcha to the masses. Founded by brothers Max and Graham, the create their own blends designed to give people healthy energy without compromising on taste.
MatchaBar was also the first matcha cafe in Brooklyn, helping to bring the drink into the mainstream.
Perfect Ted
Unlike some of their competitors, Perfect Ted have focused on creating matcha in new forms. Their matcha lattes, which are in cans, make it easier to drink and transport on the go.
They have also created matcha nespresso pods, meaning people can integrate it into machines that they are already using. With a creative and evolving product line, Perfect Ted is making matcha more mainstream.