Tag: Matcha

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Jenki opens a matcha bar in Soho and targets 11 London sites by the end of 2026

Jenki, the matcha brand founded in 2020 by Claudia and Otto Boyer, opened a new bar on September 3 at 100 Berwick Street in London’s Soho. The site was designed by KAI Interiors as a nod to Japan’s tea fields: wood flooring with curves mimicking planting rows, natural clay walls, timber, natural fibres and suspended fabric “sails” that echo the shading of tea bushes before harvest.

At the centre of the space is a station where first-harvest matcha, sourced directly from Japan, is whisked in full view. The bar also includes a retail area with matcha powder, preparation tools and a lifestyle collection.

The opening is part of an accelerated expansion plan: from its six existing sites (Selfridges, Spitalfields, Covent Garden, Borough Market, Canary Wharf and Battersea Power Station), Jenki wants to reach 11 in London by year-end, with Liverpool Street, St Paul’s, Fitzrovia and Marylebone on the list, and from 2027 it is looking at other UK cities. The company says this would make it Europe’s largest dedicated matcha bar operator.

Source: The Grocer

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Pukka enters the premium matcha market with three new products

British tea brand Pukka is entering the loose-powder matcha segment with three new products: Ceremonial Matcha, Matcha Vanilla Chai and Matcha Tulsi Lemon.

All three are built on organic ceremonial-grade matcha and contain no added sugar. The Vanilla Chai version combines matcha with vanilla, cinnamon and ginger, while Tulsi Lemon adds holy basil, lemon essential oil and powdered spearmint, rosemary and lemon myrtle leaf.

The company says it is the only matcha range in British grocery retail certified both Organic and Fair for Life. The flavoured versions are already available through Amazon, Holland & Barrett, Ocado and a range of health food stores, with the full line-up rolling out further from October 2026.

The launch targets one of the fastest-moving segments in green tea, driven by consumer demand for wellness-oriented drinks. See what Mister Tabaco has in stock.

Source: Tea & Coffee Trade Journal

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Record tea harvest in Japan: Shizuoka retakes the lead and the Uji market hits an all-time high

Figures released by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture show a marked increase in first-flush tea production in 2026. Shizuoka Prefecture has retaken the top spot with 10,700 tonnes of crude tea, up 32% year on year, while Kagoshima, the 2025 leader, rose 14% to 9,610 tonnes. Together with Mie, Kyoto and Saitama, output from the main prefectures reached 24,100 tonnes, a 21% gain, even though the harvested area edged down to 22,000 hectares.

Kyoto’s Uji market recorded transactions worth 12.94 billion yen between 24 April and 31 July, beating the previous record of 9.63 billion. Tencha volume — the leaf ground into matcha — hit 595 tonnes, the highest since the market opened in 1974, and the average price of machine-harvested tencha climbed to 17,250 yen per kilogram.

For more news from the world of coffee, cigars and fine drinks, visit Mister Tabaco.

Source: Global Japanese Tea Association

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Global Matcha Demand Hits Record Highs and Strains Production in Japan

Global matcha consumption keeps growing rapidly in 2026, driven by the spread of specialty cafes across the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Asia, where the green tea powder has become a standard menu item used in lattes, cold drinks and wellness products.

The boom has put serious pressure on supply. In Japan, first-harvest tencha auctions in Kyoto have recorded average prices roughly 169% higher than the previous year, while exports have hit record levels. Authorities in Tokyo have announced support for expanding cultivated acreage, while traders warn that the shortage of ceremonial-grade matcha could persist.

Analysts expect high prices to encourage new plantings, as well as more blends that combine matcha with other green teas.

Source: Forbes