The Business Behind Matcha

Matcha is a ground green tea powder with roots in ancient Japanese culture, dating back centuries. Only recently has the drink reached a wider global audience, appearing on cafe menus worldwide. Its growing popularity raises a question: How does a product that has been around for so long suddenly become a global trend? 

During the 2010s, as consumers in many countries including North America and Europe paid closer attention to health and food ingredients, matcha was increasingly promoted as a caffeinated superfood. Marketing emphasized its high antioxidant content and its presence of L-theanine, a natural amino acid associated with relaxation and focus. These qualities helped brands position matcha as an appealing choice for wellness-conscious consumers who wanted caffeinated drinks but wanted to avoid drinks like Red Bull, which are known to be unhealthy. 

This approach reflects a marketing strategy known as product positioning, which shapes how a target market perceives a product. By emphasizing matcha’s wellness appeal, businesses gave health-conscious consumers a reason to choose it over competing drinks and sought to turn that interest into sales. 

Beyond its wellness appeal, matcha gained recognition through visually appealing social media content. Its bright green color and layered presentation made it stand out in influencer and celebrity photos and videos. These aesthetic posts linked the drink to an aspirational lifestyle, prompting followers worldwide to try it themselves. 

This illustrates visual marketing: using appealing images and presentation to capture attention and make a product desirable. For matcha, attractive social media photos helped give consumers a reason to notice and try the drink.  

Strong marketing has fueled growing demand for matcha, creating many opportunities for businesses like cafes and bakeries to expand their menus and increase sales.  A prime example is Caffè Nero, an international coffeehouse chain. After launching its first nationwide matcha range in the UK in April 2025, the company sold 514,000 vanilla and strawberry iced matcha drinks during the quarter ending May 31. During that quarter, UK sales rose 8% year on year, while iced drink sales rose 56%. The company identified its summer iced drinks menu, including the new matcha offerings, as a key driver of sales growth.

Black Sheep Coffee, another international coffeehouse brand, also reported sales growth after expanding its menu with new matcha and lemonade offerings. In the week ending April 27, 2025, iced beverage sales rose 227% from the same period the previous year. The company described its peaches & cream matcha and matcha lemonades as “instant hits,” crediting the new iced drink ranges with helping drive record weekly sales.

Ultimately, matcha’s rise shows how strong marketing can draw attention to an established product. By connecting matcha with wellness and an appealing lifestyle, businesses helped turn a centuries-old tea into a global trend, creating demand among new audiences. Businesses could then turn that new demand into an opportunity to expand their offerings, increase sales and grow their brands. So, the next time you buy an $8 matcha latte, consider how much of its appeal comes from the beverage itself — and how much comes from the image built around it. 

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons