The Buzz about Zen Matcha Tea:
Click on these links below to hear about ZenMatcha on the radio:
Ontario Radio Station Interview Nov 06 - Seg 1 (17 min.) - Naomi Thomas
Ontario Radio Station Interview Nov 06 - Seg 2 (10 min.) - Naomi Thomas
Ontario Radio Station Interview Nov 06 - Seg 3 (9 min.) - Naomi Thomas
More 'Buzz' about Matcha...
Even though matcha is over 800 years old in Japan, it is only now reaching the mainstream North American market.
The North American matcha boom is truly remarkable and is quickly gaining in speed and scope. And we at ZenMatcha have truly paved the way by introducing Matcha tea to industry giants like Jamba Juice and Whole Foods. Now huge coffee bar chains like Starbucks have jumped on the matcha tea bandwagon. It is obvious that this "green gold" from Japan has significant market appeal.
Consumers are fascinated with the origins of matcha, and truly impressed with the immediate physiological impact of this drink.
Coffee drinkers represent one of the fastest growing markets for matcha, as they are now looking for healthy alternatives that impart significant energy. Matcha is the perfect choice.
Matcha is quickly becoming a media darling, generating headlines such as:
"Matcha Mania" - The Vancouver Sun
"There's Gold in Green" - The Globe and Mail
"Matcha, the hulk of Teas!" - B.C. Business Magazine
In addition to the growing craze for healthy energy alternatives, there is also an increasing awareness of the substantiated health benefits of green tea.
This June of 2007, a new bottled green tea drink made headlines in the press. This drink, "Dr. Lee's 710EGCG", is the very first FDA approved anti-cancer beverage on the market.
This potent drink satisfied the requirements laid out by the FDA for a minimum dosage of 710 mcg/ml of EGCG, the powerful cancer fighting catechin found only in green tea.
These new labelling guidelines for green tea as a bona-fide cancer fighter will bring even more consumers to the matcha market, looking for a "turbo-charged" form of green tea that meets these FDA requirements.
The entry of matcha into mainstream markets is facilitated by its unique powdered form, rendering it perfect for popular drinks such as smoothies and lattes, and positioning it as a convenient additive to popular foods such as cookies, cakes, muffins and ice cream.
The matcha boom will be primarily a middle to high income phenomenon, as there is only a limited amount of true matcha that is made and exported from Japan each year, resulting in a consistently high-price and exclusive market appeal.
Several imposters are already beginning to infiltrate the marketplace with cheap Chinese or Korean knock-offs, so buyer beware!
There are even companies "cutting" Japanese matcha with cheap Chinese matcha to increase their margins, and placing misleading labelling on tins and packages.
Pure, authentic Japanese matcha is green, sweet and has a fine, talc-like consistency.
Imitation matcha (Chinese, Korean, etc.) is browner and much more bitter tasting.
There is even an imitation matcha from Japan known as "green tea powder" that is made from lower grade leaves (eg. Sencha)... this product is suitable for cooking and as a food ingredient but should not be marketed as "matcha".
True matcha is derived solely from Gyokuro, or tencha leaves... the best leaves on the tea plant.