A barista scoops up a generous amount of powdered green tea from a container before placing it into two large cups meant for eager customers. But there are plenty more orders to follow in this Islamabad cafe, as plenty more await the bright green beverage taking social media by storm these days.
Matcha is a bright green powder made from ground, shade-grown green tea leaves that is traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies. The beverage has gained considerable hype on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram during the past few months worldwide, inspiring various versions of the product, from matcha lattes to even matcha donuts.
According to the German Tea Association, more than 240 tons of matcha were delivered to Germany alone between January and August 2024, an increase of 240 percent compared to the same period from the previous year. In the US, retail sales of matcha have gone up by 86 percent from three years ago, according to NIQ, a market research firm.
Pakistan isn’t immune to online trends and the matcha craze has latched on to the country. Cafes and tea shops have taken notice and have quickly started featuring matcha beverages on their menus. Fariha Farooq, a 19-year-old student, said online trends among the young generation were responsible for the matcha craze.
“It’s not just about matcha, it’s about, like, everything,” Farooq told Arab News at IU Tea, a Chinese coffee shop in Islamabad. “Whatever is in the trend, we just blindly follow it.
“So, matcha is one of the trending things right now. So, that’s why we follow the trend blindly,” she added.
‘HOT SELLING ITEM’
Hamza Abbasi, a barista at IU Tea, said in early 2024, matcha orders were “half of what they are today,” pointing to the rising popularity of the beverage.
“In Pakistan, matcha is in trend, its a very hot selling [item on our menu] these days,” Abbasi said. “If we specifically talk about matcha, 30 to 40 percent daily orders are [for matcha drinks].”
Matcha is also preferred by health-conscious consumers worldwide. It is packed with antioxidants, a type of substance that can have positive effects on health. Studies show that antioxidants called catechins, found in many green teas, can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
While some online reports claim matcha can improve cardiovascular health, Harvard Medical School suggests more research needs to be done to back those theories.
For Anusha Fatima, a 21-year-old student, matcha’s bright green color drives people to consume it more.
“Matcha is more about the green aesthetic, more than the flavor or anything like that,” Fatima said. “People do end up buying it, but they don’t enjoy the flavor or the taste.”
IU Tea has a separate menu for matcha drinks, offering them with a variety of flavors and combinations. The price for one matcha latte varies from Rs900 to 1,300 [$3.2-$4.6].
While the beverage may be a bit costly, Amir Hamza, a freelancer and matcha afficionado, understands the logic behind it.
“When something becomes popular then obviously its cost also goes up,” he said. “And if something has to be represented well in the market then definitely its price should be more.”
