Matcha mania turns the green powder into gold
A recent increase in Matcha’s popularity has led to a global shortage of Matcha, which originated from increasing demand and limited production in Japan, where high -quality Matcha, where Matcha has grown.
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Tokyo – Chitose Nagao did not imagine that the lines would be a snake around the shops before they retired in advertising to start a Matcha Cafe. Until Midafternoon, Matcha powder on the shelves is sold, while mostly a stable flow of overseas customers is waiting to try the latest green mixtures.
The store Atelier Matcha is one of the lucky ones. Although Matcha materials are decreasing even in Japan because of a global madness, Nagao pays Nagao with Marukyu Koymaen, a 300 -year -old tea manufacturer in Kyoto.
“When I heard that all teas were not sold in a warehouse during Covid, I wanted to do something.” Nagao said. He said. Four years later, there is two stores in Japan in Ho Chi Minh, one of Vietnam, and a new output to be opened in Cebu City, the Philippines.
Japan has been consuming Matcha since the 12th century in extremely ritual tea ceremonies that require only one dust stain. In recent years, demand has increased rapidly in recent years as a super food full of antioxidants of Matcha’s Tiktok. A pandemic tourism boom has increased the prices further.
According to the Ministry of Finance of Japan, Japan exported 36.4 billion yen (247 million dollars) green tea last year, four times more than ten years. Approximately 44% for the United States were mostly connected to a powder form like Matcha.
The Japanese government is thinking of subsidizing to encourage farmers to distinguish more spaces in order to address Japan’s tension on aging agricultural communities. Tenceha, the type of tea used to make Matcha.
Tencera yields are more profitable, but at the same time is more labor intense, because the buds need to be protected from the sun to reveal their unique grassy flavors. Manufacturers say that there is not enough hands to harvest, vapor and dry before making the leaves dust.
Stores Ration Supply
Tencha prices in this spring auction in Kyoto 170 % jumped The Global Japanese Tea Association is from the previous year to 8,235 Yen per kilogram. This broke the record of 4,862 yen before the kilogram determined in 2016.
Many retailers reported that Matcha prices were doubled last year and that even in Tokyo, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a small can of dust.
The stores place purchasing limits to ensure that their stocks will last longer, to determine the stacking and to defend unauthorized dealers. However, Matcha continues to be a popular souvenir for the number of record tourists visiting Japan.
Many retailers reported that matcha prices doubled last year and that even in Tokyo, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a small can of dust.
Many online stores sold months ago while running to stock up in front of the expected tariffs.
Kaminari Issa, who sells everything from Matcha Beer to Matcha Cream Puffs in four stores in Tokyo’s Asakusa region, said that it was not unusual for a ton of E -POSTA for a ton of Matcha.
“We are happy,” said Miku Sugawara, who runs one of the stores. “But there’s a lot we can sell.”
The shop sells Matcha Graded from the first harvest of the season, which is considered the highest quality of tea leaves.
Like others in trade, Sugawara is worried that the record hot wave of this summer can reduce the next year’s tea harvest and increase prices further.
Matcha Boom encounters a bottleneck
Enough matchah resources and competition to produce that it is so intense that it is difficult ITO TRThe world’s largest bottled green tea seller to create a special section in May.
The company estimates that the overseas group will increase by 11% this year, and in the face of higher raw materials and labor costs, it increases 50% to 100% in various products since September.
Ito EN has special contracts with farmers supplying with 7.–Each year 000 tons of normal green tea, but only about 600 tons of Tenceha.
Ito en, it was a difficulty to convince farmers to grow further, because many of them are worried that the existing explosion may be reduced.
“Matcha’s popularity was incredible. Our own factories and all our contractors jam–Packed, “ITO said Yasutaka Yokomichi, the director of the newest Matcha.
The Japanese government is thinking of subsidizing to encourage farmers to allocate more spaces to Tobin, a type of tea used to make Matcha.
He said that one of his priorities was to provide enough mills to dust and pack the Terdha leaves, and that ITO EN could contain new investments to expand their own facilities. Since it can disrupt the quality of heat caused by a faster process, only 40 grams of Matcha Matche mill can take an hour.
Nagao from Atelier Matcha said that it could be the only appropriate option to train consumers about different matcha degrees.
As a Sado’s island or a “tea path”, premium class dust was not necessary to make a good Matcha Akai Bowl. As an entrepreneur, the next big thing has landscapes.
“Hojicha,” says Nagao, a better profile and less caffeine, referring to another kind of tea. “Look, I’m just one stayed today.”
