A lot of people who don’t follow the latest trends in the food and beverage industry might be wondering what is matcha and why it is becoming increasingly popular. The answer is simple - matcha is a type of powdered green tea that is used for making a variety of drinks like hot matcha tea, smoothie, lemonade, or matcha latte, and various cocktails. It’s also used by the bakery business for pastries and desserts. Additionally, it’s used by a lot of bars and restaurants as an ingredient for matcha cocktails and dishes. In this article, we’ll dive deeper into the most popular matcha drinks and how venues can benefit from this growing cafe and restaurant industry trend.
How Restaurants Can Benefit by Offering Matcha Drinks
There are numerous ways for restaurants and other food venues to benefit from offering more matcha drinks and food on their menu. Here are some of them:
- Increases customer satisfaction, retention, and loyalty. Offering matcha drinks can help acquire new clients who enjoy this green powdered tea. Additionally, unlike tea or coffee, matcha is not a must-have item on menus. Thus, matcha enthusiasts are likely to prefer your venue instead of another that doesn’t serve their favorite beverage.
- Diversify the menu. With the growth in their popularity, matcha drinks appeal to a lot of customers. That makes exotic options like matcha and yerba mate ideal to diversify the menu of your restaurant. Additionally, they can be used as an upselling product to clients looking for an energy boost. Iced matcha drinks can be a great addition to a summer seasonal menu.
- Higher profits. Compared to coffee and other tea varieties, matcha is a more expensive product. As it’s considered a high-quality and unique beverage, it can be one of the products with a higher restaurant profit margin. This is true not only for matcha drinks but also for dishes that have matcha as an ingredient.
- Social media benefits. The vibrant green color of the tea makes the beverages and foods visually appealing. This not only improves the customers' experience but also makes for an Instagram-worthy post. By offering interesting and well-plated dishes, you’re giving your guests more reasons to post on social media. Needless to say, this has an excellent impact on brand awareness and online visibility.
Key takeaway: Matcha drinks can increase a restaurant’s profitability. They are becoming more popular and the trend is here to stay. Matcha drinks also have numerous health benefits.
The Most Popular Matcha Drinks
Worldwide, the most popular type of matcha drink is classical matcha tea. That’s how the majority of people in Japan, China, India, and other Eastern countries consume it. However, in the US, there are numerous matcha drinks.
Matcha Latte
The ingredients used to make this drink are steamed milk and matcha powder. The drink can be sweetened with honey or sugar. The creamy texture combined with the earthy and bitter taste of matcha makes for an excellent combination. During the summer days, an iced matcha latte is the drink of choice for many matcha enthusiasts who’re looking for an energy boost.
Matcha Frappuccino
This is one of the most popular Starbucks drinks and there’s a reason for it. The mixture of matcha, milk, ice, and sweetener is on its own excellent. But when you add whipped cream on top, the drink becomes a preferred option for many.
Matcha Smoothie
This nutritious and energizing drink is a preferred option for people looking for a healthy beverage that also fills them up. A combination of matcha, bananas, almond milk, and spinach is a good example of a smoothie rich in antioxidants and energizing.
Matcha Lemonade
Matcha powder and lemon juice are an excellent combination. The result is a refreshing matcha drink that is an ideal option for every breakfast or brunch menu. As both flavors can be strong, it’s recommended to add a sweetener like brown sugar or honey.
Matcha Bubble Tea
Combining tapioca pearls with matcha powder and milk results in a great drink for boba tea enjoyers. This Asian-inspired drink has a chewy texture and can be made with alternative milk such as almond or coconut milk.
Matcha Shot
This concentrated dose of matcha is ideal for those looking for a quick energy dose. Typically, it’s between one and two ounces. A matcha shot can be drunk as is or mixed with other ingredients such as grape juice, milk, or lemon juice.
Matcha Mojito
Matcha cocktails and mocktails are rising in popularity. Doubtless, the most popular among them is the matcha Mojito. It’s made with lime juice, mint leaves, syrup, club soda, and matcha powder. If you want the drink to have alcohol content, add white rum to it. Other popular matcha cocktails are matcha green Russian and matcha gin sour.
Benefits of Drinking Matcha Beverages
It’s no surprise many people are wondering how to start a matcha business. This exotic and refreshing green tea powder is growing in popularity and there are many opportunities to become a part of the matcha industry. The main reasons for that are the benefits of matcha consumption.
- Energy and focus benefits. The caffeine in matcha is less than the one in a coffee cup. However, instead of giving you an energy kick, matcha provides a sustained energy boost for the next 4-6 hours. The L-theanine in matcha also helps with mental clarity, promotes relaxation, and assists with improving concentration.
- Health benefits. Matcha is high in nutrients such as vitamins, fiber, and minerals. Additionally, the powder can be a source of potassium, calcium, and iron. Antioxidants are probably one of the main health benefits of the drink. They contribute to overall health, have an anti-aging effect, and protect the body from free radicals.
Matcha also helps metabolism and is recommended in a variety of diets. The combination of antioxidants and caffeine is yet another thing that boosts metabolism. One more benefit of antioxidants is that they help the immune system. Studies have shown they protect against pathogens, reduce the risk of infections, and support the natural defense mechanisms of the body.
Matcha also supports heart and brain health. It improves cholesterol levels, lowers blood pressure, and reduces the formation of blood clots. Furthermore, matcha drinks improve memory, enhance cognitive function, and reduce the risk of diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Frequently Asked Questions about Matcha Drinks
Not sure whether to add matcha drinks to your restaurant’s menu? Or maybe you are a matcha enthusiast and have more questions about matcha drinks. Either way, the questions and answers below can be of assistance.
Where Can You Buy Matcha?
Many specialized websites offer wholesale matcha powder for businesses as well as small packages for enthusiasts. You can also find this ingredient at popular marketplaces. Coffee and tea shops often sell various high-quality products. You can find different types of matcha there as well. If you need bulk quantities, you should contact matcha suppliers. They can offer both culinary and ceremonial matcha in large quantities.
What Are the Benefits of Matcha VS Coffee?
Both matcha and coffee drinks contain caffeine. However, its release is much slower with matcha. This means you get graduate energy boost for 4-6 hours. With coffee, you get an energy kick that lasts much shorter, usually around one hour. Additionally, matcha has numerous health benefits. It’s a great antioxidant and improves heart health.
What Ingredients and Foods Pair Well with Matcha?
There are many food recipes with matcha. It pairs well with nuts, seeds, and chocolate as part of baked goods and pastry desserts. Matcha drinks can be combined with dairy products. Matcha latte is a classical example of that. Some enthusiasts also like to add honey or lemon to their matcha drinks. Matcha can be an ingredient in many seafood recipes, and it can be a great seafood pairing drink. Keep in mind that it’s not recommended to use the highest quality of this green tea powder for matcha drinks and recipes. The highest grade, also known as ceremonial matcha, is suitable for a true tea ceremony experience. Consider using culinary grades for baking and mixing matcha drinks.