TLDR

Have you heard the buzz about matcha? Lately, it seems like it's everywhere. From trendy cafés to high-end grocery stores, the antioxidant-rich powder has become a household name in the U.S., and for good reason. Not only is matcha rich in flavor, but it offers health benefits that traditional coffee simply can't offer.

If you're a coffee shop owner looking to get on board with this trend, you're in luck—incorporating matcha into your menu isn't as hard as it may seem! In this article, we'll discuss the matcha boom and how to incorporate the popular Japanese ingredient into your own coffee shop. From understanding what makes matcha so special to selecting the right products and marketing your offerings, we'll cover everything you need to know about bringing matcha into your cafe.

What Is Matcha and Why Is It Trending?

You may have seen it on the shelves of your neighborhood cafe or heard your friends raving about it. But what is matcha and why is it so popular?

Matcha is a type of high-quality Japanese powdered green tea. It contains more caffeine than regular green tea, as well as higher levels of the compounds responsible for its health benefits, such as:

• Antioxidants - which help fight free radicals and promote healthy skin
• Anticancer properties - which help protect against some forms of cancer
• Anti-inflammatory effects - helping to soothe inflammation and boost your immune system
• Lower cholesterol - helping to reduce the risk of heart disease

In addition to its health benefits, matcha has also become renowned for its flavor profile--it's earthy and slightly sweet, making it an excellent addition to coffee, baking recipes and smoothies. All these factors have combined to create the matcha boom in the United States, leading more coffee shops, bakeries and eateries around the country to offer matcha-based drinks and desserts.

Health Benefits of Matcha

It's no surprise that the matcha boom has hit the U.S—not only does the vibrant green powder taste delicious, but it's also packed with health benefits! Matcha is a Japanese powdered green tea containing high amounts of substances with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. It is particularly rich in catechins, a class of plant compounds in tea that act as natural antioxidants.

Studies have linked matcha to a variety of health benefits, such as:

• Helping to prevent heart disease
• Reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes
• Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels
• Assisting with weight loss
• Protecting against cancer-causing free radicals.

In short, incorporating matcha into your coffee shop will not only make you stand out from the competition—it'll also offer your customers a tasty, healthy beverage option!

Tips for Incorporating Matcha Into Your Coffee Shop Menu

If you're looking to hop on the matcha bandwagon for your coffee shop, there are a few tips to keep in mind.

Keep it Fresh

First and foremost, it's important that you make sure that your matcha is fresh. Even though it is quite shelf-stable, it is best stored in an opaque vessel that prevents oxidation of the leaves. Additionally, when not in use, it should always be kept in the fridge to increase longevity and prevent the growth of bacteria.

Quality Matters

When choosing a matcha supplier for your coffee shop, quality matters. Look for vendors who specialize in high grade matcha with a bright and lustrous green color — this will ensure that customers get the well-rounded flavor of the tea with its grassy and vegetal notes as well as its smooth texture.

Innovation Rules

Finally, once you have quality matcha available, let your imagination soar! There are so many great recipes out there featuring matcha — from lattes to smoothies to even desserts — so challenge yourself to come up with innovative ways to incorporate this amazing ingredient into your menu.

Recommended Suppliers for Quality Matcha

If you're looking to take advantage of the matcha boom, it's important to source good quality matcha. After all, an ill-tasting cup of matcha can put people off for good and ruin your reputation.

The good news is, there are a lot of suppliers out there that offer quality Matcha. Here are some we'd recommend:

1. Matchaful – This is a a female-founded purveyor of premium Japanese matcha that works in direct-trade with a sustainably-operated, fourth-generation Japanese tea farm in Shizuoka Prefecture. With a focus on quality, Matchaful hand-selects ingredients to create nutrient dense products with functional health benefits and fresh flavors.
2. Uji Green Tea Co – Uji Green Tea Co specializes in the growing and processing of tea grown in Uji City in Japan's Kyoto Prefecture. Uji’s traditional green tea farms produce some of the highest grade green tea leaves in Japan, giving you access to premium quality matcha you won't find anywhere else.
3. Matcha Konomi – Matcha Konomi has been supplying premium quality Japanese-sourced green tea since 2015. Their matchas are USDA certified organic and include basic ceremonial grade as well as other grades like culinary grade and second harvest - perfect for mixing up lattes or other creative drinks with your customers in mind!

By getting high-quality Matcha from these reliable sources, you'll be able to serve delicious beverages that will keep your customers coming back for more!

Recipes to Create Unique Drinks With Matcha

Utilizing the traditional Japanese ingredient, matcha, in your coffee shop can open up a wide array of drink recipes that you can offer. From matcha lattes to frappuccinos to milkshakes, adding matcha to your shop menu can excite customers with new and unique drinks. Here are some ways you could incorporate matcha into familiar recipes:

Matcha Latte

Incorporating matcha into a latte is one of the most popular uses for this ingredient. Matcha latte is generally made by steaming or frothing a combination of matcha powder, hot water, and sometimes steamed milk and honey or other additional sweeteners. For an extra touch of gourmet-ness, lightly toast some flaked almonds and sprinkle over the top.

Matcha Frappuccino

If you're looking to satisfy customers who love cold drinks, try offering a matcha frappuccino! This recipe includes blending together matcha powder with ice cubes, milk of choice (dairy or vegan), honey/agave nectar for sweetness, and optional extra ingredients like macadamia nuts or almond butter for added creaminess. The result? A chilled out version of a classic caffeinated beverage!

Matcha Milkshake

Make your customers' mouths water with creamy milkshakes made from matcha — the perfect combination of comfort food meets exotic flavor! Start off with the basics: combine vanilla ice cream and sugar with a shot (or two) of freshly brewed matcha green tea concentrate. Throw in some seasonal fruits like blueberries or strawberries for an extra tartness and richness. Then blend it all together until smooth and serve it up

Marketing Ideas to Help Promote Your Matcha-Infused Drinks

The matcha boom has been gaining popularity in the US, and as a coffee shop owner, you should consider incorporating this Japanese ingredient into your beverages. Whether you offer blended matcha drinks or simply add a sprinkle of matcha to your classic latte, you can strengthen your business by taking advantage of this trend.

Here are some marketing ideas to help promote your matcha-infused drinks:

Use Social Media

Social media is a great channel for advertising new products and spreading the word about the trend. Build creative content around the unique health benefits of matcha and how it can be added to existing drinks, such as adding a pinch of green tea powder to lattes to make them more Instagram-worthy!

Speak the Language of Your Customers

Engaging with customers is key when it comes to promoting matcha. While regular java drinkers may be hesitant of trying something new, show them that matcha adds an interesting twist and let them know why they should give it a try. For instance, emphasize that your café's version of a classic matcha latte contains only natural ingredients that taste great!

Get Creative With Promotions

Introduce unique promotions or discounts on selected items to draw crowds in and spread the word about your cafe's inventive use of matcha. For example, offer 'Match Mondays' where customers can get buy-one-get-one deals on select matcha items each week. Or create an exclusive latte flavor—try combining sweet chocolate with creamy almond milk for a flavorful treat!

By leveraging these marketing ideas, you can make sure that your coffee shop doesn't miss out on one of the biggest trends—matcha

Final Thoughts

Matcha was once found only in specialty tea shops, but its popularity has skyrocketed in the U.S. as more and more people discover the flavor and health benefits of this unique green tea. Coffee shops, in particular, are in a very unique position to leverage matcha as an exciting add-on to their menu and capitalize on this lucrative opportunity.

Through proper research, acquiring the right ingredients and comprehensive training, you can create matcha drinks that are worth talking about. With the right strategy, your coffee shop can be part of the matcha boom and create new, exciting offerings that stand out from the competition.