Matcha: The Green Tsunami

How a 900-Year-Old Ritual Became the Drink of a Generation

When the ubiquitous morning coffee is feeling overdone, a new green star is rising: matcha. Once a niche ritual tea, matcha is now gunning to become the go-to coffee alternative. Below, we trace its origins, examine why it’s blowing up now, and explore how smart branding and packaging help elevate it from health fad to cultural movement.

What Is Matcha?

At its simplest, matcha is powdered green tea — but the story is richer than that. True matcha is made from shade-grown tea leaves (called tencha) which are steamed, dried, and then stone-milled into a fine, vibrant green powder. Because the whole leaf is consumed (rather than steeped), matcha delivers a more concentrated dose of flavor, chlorophyll, amino acids (notably L-theanine), and antioxidants.

In traditional Japanese tea practice (chanoyu or sado), matcha is whisked in a bowl with hot water and drunk slowly in a meditative ritual. It is meant to be savored, not gulped.

Origins and Cultural Roots

Though powdered tea forms date back to China, the matcha we know today was refined and elevated in Japan. In the 12th–13th centuries, the Zen Buddhist monk Eisai introduced powdered tea practices from China, and over subsequent centuries, Japanese tea masters developed shade-growing and stone-milling techniques.

By the 16th century, tea masters like Sen no Rikyū had formalized the Japanese tea ceremony, with matcha at its spiritual and aesthetic core. The principles of wabi-sabi (simplicity, imperfection, humility) became intertwined with tea culture.

Historically, matcha was a privileged drink for monks and the aristocracy. Only later, as cultivation and technique spread to regions like Uji (Kyoto), did matcha become more accessible, albeit always with strong connoisseur traditions.

Why It’s Exploding Now

That ancient tradition is now riding a wave of modern impulses. Here are some of the forces driving matcha’s rise:

Health, wellness, and functional caffeine.

Today’s consumers are more health-conscious than ever. Matcha’s profile as a “cleaner” source of caffeine — because of L-theanine, which can attenuate jitters and smooth the stimulant experience — gives it appeal as a gentler alternative to coffee.

Moreover, its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and potential metabolic benefits are frequently invoked (though scientific consensus remains cautious).

Visual/Instagrammable appeal.

The striking jade-green hue, the swirling foam of a matcha latte, and its photogenic nature make matcha a darling of social media. #matcha already counts millions of posts.

In a world where a drink must look good before it tastes good, matcha checks the boxes.

Asian cultural influence and “soft power.”

Interest in Japanese food, aesthetics, minimalism, tea culture, and wellness rituals is surging globally. Matcha is one of the strongest carriers of that cultural appeal.

Café culture and beverage experimentation.

Just as coffee became a base for customization, matcha is now a canvas: iced matcha lattes, matcha lemonades, matcha-infused desserts and even matcha cocktails. Cafés are aggressively adopting matcha lines to ride the trend.

Pandemic and home ritual revival.

With more people working from home, seeking comfort rituals, and experimenting in the kitchen, powdered matcha (which is shelf-stable and easy to whisk) lends itself well to home preparation.

Because of all these trends, matcha is no longer niche—its global market is forecast to grow strongly.

Who’s Driving the Trend (and Why They Matter)

Matcha’s growth isn’t just organic — it’s being championed by influential segments:

Wellness and “biohackers.”

Those invested in optimizing diet, sleep, mood, cognition and longevity view matcha as a functional upgrade. It’s part health tonic, part ritual.

Millennials & Gen Z.

Younger consumers, especially urban and trendy, gravitate toward products with purpose, provenance, stories, aesthetics and “better-for-you” credentials. Matcha ticks a lot of those boxes.

Influencers, content creators, “cool people.”

Taste-makers and social media creatives who adopt matcha lend cultural validation. When a celebrity posts a matcha latte, it signals that matcha has arrived.

For instance, Dua Lipa has publicly embraced matcha as “the wellness status symbol.”

Other names often cited as matcha enthusiasts include Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Alba, Kylie Jenner, Bella Hadid and even Selena Gomez.

These figures help confer credibility, especially in style, wellness and lifestyle circles.

Cafés, boutique matcha bars, specialty beverage chains.

These are early adopters and trend amplifiers — think of matcha-only cafés or matcha-first brands.

Because these segments overlap heavily with cultural, creative, media, and trendsetting communities, they serve as accelerants: when creatives and influencers adopt matcha, a wider audience often follows.

Notable Matcha Brands & Collaborations

Here are three standout collaborations in which non-drink brands have teamed up with matcha or matcha café brands — especially from fashion, beauty or cultural sectors. These kinds of crossover moves are interesting because they signal that matcha is being treated not just as a beverage, but as a lifestyle or cultural asset.

1. sacai × Rocky’s Matcha — fashion × matcha pop-up + capsule apparel

In 2024, Japanese fashion label sacai joined forces with Rocky’s Matcha (an L.A. / global boutique matcha brand) to launch a pop-up in Harajuku, featuring both matcha drinks and a co-branded apparel capsule.

The collaboration included graphic tees and hoodies combining sacai’s modern typographic style and Rocky’s hand-drawn matcha branding. Co-branded merchandise sat side by side with the tea menu, bringing drink culture and fashion into one space. The notion is that fans of fashion might discover matcha as part of their aesthetic life, and vice versa — extending the brand halo.

This is a perfect example of how a matcha brand can embed itself into a fashion moment, not just as an ingredient but as a cultural token. Rocky’s Matcha is already known for doing fashion / art / design crossovers.

2. So Matcha × Jimmy Choo — luxury fashion house meets matcha café

In 2025, the high-end footwear and accessory house Jimmy Choo partnered with So Matcha (a matcha café / brand) for a limited café experience in Riyadh.

The collab turned the café into a stylish pop-up environment — “Sip in style” was the marketing line — with a curated ambience combining fashion identity and culinary experience. The idea is that customers don’t just drink matcha; they “enter” a Jimmy Choo aesthetic zone. (The collaboration was time-limited, making it more of an event than a permanent product line.)

This kind of pairing is notable because it brings matcha into the realm of luxury fashion, tapping into aspirational associations rather than just health or wellness branding.

3. Florence by Mills × Cha Cha Matcha — beauty / skincare brand meets matcha beverage

In late 2024, Florence by Mills (the skincare / beauty line founded by Millie Bobby Brown) teamed up with Cha Cha Matcha to launch a “Glow Flo” latte — a skincare-infused matcha drink.

This drink blended matcha with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, lavender or ube foam — explicitly positioning the matcha beverage as part of a beauty ritual, not just a drink. The rollout included in-store promotions at Cha Cha Matcha cafés, tying the beauty brand’s identity to a consumable wellness moment.

Beauty × beverage collaborations are interesting because they push matcha into skincare and self-care narratives, rather than just caffeine or wellness.

Why These Matter & What They Signal

1. Cross-category legitimation: When a fashion or beauty brand aligns itself with matcha, it helps elevate matcha’s status as more than a functional drink — it becomes a design, aesthetic or lifestyle choice.
2. Limited edition & content value: These collaborations tend to be time-limited and Instagrammable. They generate media buzz, excitement, and social shareability, which helps both parties benefit from cultural hype.
3. Audience cross-pollination: Fans of fashion, beauty, or lifestyle brands get exposed to matcha through trusted names — lowering the barrier of entry. Conversely, matcha lovers may engage more deeply with the collaborating brand’s identity.
4. Brand value extension for matcha: For the matcha side, such collaborations help shift the perception from commodity to premium / cultural object — aligning with design, story and lifestyle rather than just health claims.

Branding & Packaging: More than Just a Pretty Box

With matcha’s proliferation, it’s no longer enough to have good tea — what differentiates premium brands is story, identity, trust, and design. Here’s how branding and packaging play a crucial role:

Signaling quality and authenticity.

Buyers (especially novices) can’t judge matcha by sight alone. Premium packaging, Japanese calligraphy, source information (e.g. “Uji, Kyoto”), grading, harvest date, farm provenance help confer legitimacy.

Visual identity and shelf presence.

In a sea of green powders, bold but refined design helps a matcha brand stand out. Clean minimalism or evocative Japanese aesthetics (brush strokes, subtle textures) resonate. As Creative Review noted, the new matcha brand 12 reportedly engaged Base Design to give it a calming, distinctive identity rather than treat matcha as a commodity.

Packaging function and preservation.

Because matcha is delicate (oxygen, moisture, light degrade it), packaging must be protective (foil pouches, tins, vacuum seals). Good design ensures freshness and communicates that the brand cares about quality.

Storytelling & narrative cues.

Brands can wind in narratives about craftsmanship, small farms, sustainable practices, tea master lineage, limited editions. The packaging is a canvas for telling that story and forging emotional connection.

Limited editions and collaborations.

Many brands collaborate with artists, designers or cultural icons to release limited tins or collector’s packaging — these become conversation pieces and content fodder. This not only sells tea, it sells shareable brands.

Sustainability credentials.

As matcha consumers often overlap with conscientious consumers, having recyclable or compostable packaging, or using minimal waste packaging, can reinforce brand values.

Thus, in a crowded field, strong branding and packaging become almost indispensable tools of differentiation, trust-building, and narrative projection.

The Power and Poetry of the Matcha Tin

In the world of matcha, the tin itself is more than a container — it’s part of the ritual. Traditionally, Japanese natsume and chaki tea caddies were crafted with the same reverence as ceramics or calligraphy brushes, often lacquered, gilded, or signed by artisans.

That design lineage carries through to today’s matcha tins, which merge nostalgia and modern minimalism in equal measure. Contemporary brands treat their tins as design objects: matte pastels, brushed metals, embossed logos, or bold typography that communicates both freshness and sophistication.

The tin has become a collectible vessel, a bridge between heritage and modernity, evoking the slow ceremony of the past while sitting comfortably on a modern kitchen counter or café shelf. It’s a perfect metaphor for the matcha movement itself: steeped in tradition, but utterly at home in the contemporary design landscape.

Tying It Back: Why Branding & Packaging Make or Break the Matcha Game

Matcha’s ascent is not assured for every entrant — many powders taste similar (or are even adulterated). What distinguishes a successful matcha brand is not just leaf quality, but how that quality is communicated, trusted, and experienced.

A well-designed brand identity tells consumers: “This is premium, serious, authentic, cared for.” Packaging is the first physical touchpoint — from selecting the tin or pouch, to how easy it is to open, reseal, sift, protect from light and oxidization, and how attractive it is on shelf or social media.

Good packaging also fosters user delight, shareability (Instagram-worthy boxes or tins), and loyalty. Limited editions and artistic covers create urgency and collectibility. Moreover, transparency (harvest date, grade, farm, tasting notes) helps demystify matcha for newcomers and builds trust.

Given that matcha is a relatively new entrant in many markets (outside Japan), branding and packaging are the vectors through which the tradition, story, and quality are translated to consumers who lack context. In many ways, the packaging is the “translator” between Japanese tea heritage and a global wellness consumer.

In sum: the rise of matcha isn’t just about a green powder — it’s about a cultural rediscovery, health narrative, social media aesthetic, and (critically) branding that turns matcha into a lifestyle product rather than a niche historical relic.