Rosie Peters-McDonald, Print Deputy Editor, gives an overview of how internet trends might be affecting the market for matcha
The UK coffee shop landscape has undergone a ‘trendy’ transformation in recent years, with chains such as Black Sheep Coffee and Joe and the Juice adjusting their menus to suit rising demand for matcha, a caffeinated green tea powder grown predominantly in Japan. Matcha’s popularity is largely owed to TikTok and Instagram videos which advertise its alleged health benefits and versatility.
According to viral TikTok creator Isabel May, these online trends are symptomatic of matcha’s position as a “status symbol.” She suggests that “good quality matcha can be expensive, and premium matcha brands … have positioned it as a marker of a stylish and health-focused lifestyle.” There are questions of the sustainability of the product’s growing popularity, given recent shortages in Japan, according to supplier Yamasan Ltd.
There are questions of the sustainability of the product’s growing popularity, given recent shortages in Japan, according to supplier Yamasan Ltd.
In 2023, American coffee chain Blank Street opened thirteen stores in London amid the launch of their now-emblematic Blueberry Matcha Latte; in 2024, UK-based firm Jenki opened three bars in upmarket areas across London after an ongoing successful residency at Selfridges on Oxford Street.
Starbucks, the UK’s largest coffee shop chain, added matcha to their UK menu permanently in March 2018. Widespread access to matcha in the UK is still relatively newfound as it relies on coffee shops importing the powder from Japanese tea farms.
Matcha’s sustained online popularity has established itself through search and video trends. Matcha’s vivid appearance, and thus its marketability, has influenced its upward climb in the beverage market. One supplier, Aiya, who, according to Grand View Research, are a “key” company in the market, claim that “the global matcha market is rapidly growing and is expected to rise by an annual rate of 9.46% between 2023 and 2028.” Google search trends over the past twelve months highlight the increased interest in matcha throughout 2024.
In the UK, matcha battled with coffee pods for popularity on Google consistently throughout 2024. Its spike in interest mid-2024 is perhaps owed to the popularity of Blank Street’s matcha range, which experienced viral success on social media. Searches for matcha brand Marukyu-Koyamaen, a viral TikTok product, rivalled Nespresso’s coffee pods throughout 2024, which may explain Nespresso’s recent offering of matcha brand PerfectTed’s powder in pod form.
There is the question of whether matcha’s rise in demand will be relatively short-lived and driven by fluctuations in online trends. TikTok creator, Isabel May, owes tea brand Bird and Blend’s matcha advent calendar for her recent viral fame. One video in her TikTok series, which reviewed the product, garnered 2.5 million views and more than 240,000 likes. She says that matcha has “come to symbolise [a] health-conscious and … ‘trendy’ lifestyle.” She added that “the cultural significance of matcha is being diluted [by its] commercialisation, but it does mean it’s now more globally available and accessible. Matcha is so in demand now that … some places, especially in Japan, are limiting customers to one tin per person. There isn’t enough of it in Japan.”
…the cultural significance of matcha is being diluted [by its] commercialisation, but it does mean it’s now more globally available and accessible. Matcha is so in demand now that … some places, especially in Japan, are limiting customers to one tin per person. There isn’t enough of it in Japan.
Isabel May
We reached out to one of the biggest brands on the UK matcha scene, who requested to remain unnamed. They told us that, “unlike coffee, matcha provides a balanced boost without the jitters or crash, thanks to its combination of caffeine and L-theanine.” They also cited the beverage’s “antioxidants and support for focus and calm” as part of its charm.
Matcha-related Instagram reels and TikTok videos such as “the rise of matcha recipes, influencer endorsements, and the overall wellness movement […] helped raise awareness and spark curiosity” for the brand across 2023 and 2024. They added that “2024 was an exciting year for us, with continued growth and engagement from our community. The timing feels right with a broader shift towards wellness and mindful living. Consumers are increasingly looking for alternatives that support their health goals, and matcha ticks a lot of boxes.”
