The rise of matcha: the 'cool-girl' powdered tea

From cocktails to pancakes, the Japanese tea powder is cropping up in just about everything

Matcha powder and black teapot on grey slate background
The 'souped-up older sister of green tea'
(Image credit: Igor Stoica / Getty Images)

Despite having a "vegetal, grassy" flavour that's "almost as divisive as Marmite", said Fiona Embleton in Glamour, matcha is rapidly becoming Gen Z's beverage of the moment.

Zendaya and Dua Lipa are among the A-listers who have been snapped sipping "Kermit-coloured" matcha smoothies, cementing the powdered tea's reputation as having the type of "cool-girl wellness aesthetic that Instagram eats up".

From "elusive to everywhere", matcha is cropping up in just about everything from pancakes to cocktails, said Nyima Jobe in The Guardian. As its popularity continues to soar, the value of the global market is expected to climb from £1.8 billion this year, to £2.2 billion by 2028.

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Matcha has a "laundry list" of potential health benefits, said Glamour, spanning everything from period pain relief to improved memory and reduced risk of heart attack. Alongside catechins and vitamin C, it also contains l-theanine – an amino acid known for its stress-busting properties.

Matcha & Co premium matcha tea

This top-quality ceremonial grade tea is ground using traditional stone mills in Kyoto. The "beautifully packaged" organic matcha powder is one of the more "potent" options on the market, said the London Evening Standard, but it "truly does taste like premium stuff".

£34.95, matchaandco.co.uk

Clearspring organic Japanese kuwa matcha

For a naturally caffeine-free option, said Glamour, Clearspring's organic kuwa matcha is a "great choice". Made using mulberry leaves that are grown in Kagoshima instead of tea leaves, the bright green powder has a delicate, balanced flavour.

£8.99, clearspring.co.uk

Lalani & Co matcha gold

The "vibrant" colour of this tea "speaks to its quality", said Isabella Keeling in Olive. Grown in the Nakai family's gardens in Japan, it's made using artisan techniques, from hand-picking to stone milling. With its "floral, bright and sweet" taste, it's ideal for whisking into a "silky" froth for a latte.

£29, lalaniandco.com

Teapigs premium matcha green tea

Divvied up into "handy sachets", Teapigs' matcha is perfect for taking with you to the office to "whip up into a matcha latte", said the London Evening Standard. All you need to do is add a "heck-tonne" of your favourite milk (consider splashing out on the electric whisk, too).

£7, teapigs.co.uk

Naturya matcha superfood latte

Enriched with 450 million live bio cultures and calcium from seaweed, the benefits of this matcha are "far-reaching", said Glamour. The "delicious blend" expertly balances coconut milk, reishi mushrooms and a hint of cinnamon.

£9, naturya.com

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Irenie Forshaw is a features writer at The Week, covering arts, culture and travel. She began her career in journalism at Leeds University, where she wrote for the student newspaper, The Gryphon, before working at The Guardian and The New Statesman Group. Irenie then became a senior writer at Elite Traveler, where she oversaw The Experts column.