Matcha Shortage and my first trip to Japan

On May 26 I took my first ever flight to Tokyo. It was not exactly how I had imagined it, as my plan was to go in a season of my life where I have time and peace (jokes on me :-) but the increasingly challenging matcha situation and ongoing demand made me do it. And looking back - it was one of the best trips of my life… and a big plunge into the unknown!

Quick background info:

I remember around March this year my supplier and partner in Japan had already “warned” me about the matcha shortage in Japan everyone was talking about. Of course I did see the trend arriving but I was not really aware of the consequences it would have on the European market as well as on the Japanese tradition and way of producing / selling matcha. Once May hit, it all started to go really crazy and I wasn't able to place an order within 6 months of delivery time. It was a difficult time for all of us but until I went to Japan I really didn't know how challenging it was not only to provide matcha but also to continue to provide and find GOOD quality matcha. As the “middle (wo)man” – who suddenly was the main person responsible for how much win or in that case loss my partner cafés would make - the most important things I have learned along the way was to focus on loyalty and transparency. You can only make so much money and sell products - if at the end of the day you don't nourish the relationships with those who are here when things run smoothly and be honest and transparent when they don't - it really is not a sustainable business financially nor emotionally (at least for me). Cause trust me, it's a freaking rollercoaster and only money doesn't solve the problem if you are just a number without any relationship. For a small business like me - a REAL person or in that case a farm or supplier (not just a sales team taking your wholesale matcha orders online) is what matters most and these are the people on the other side who make things work and help you out. Especially since a lot of coffee shops at that time started to sell double the amount of matcha lattes and I was simply not prepared for that (tbh nobody was), it was more important than ever to get a good understanding of the situation in Japan and asking my partners for patience and perseverance. Everything just kept getting more difficult to navigate through this demand and this was the moment when I knew that I had to go to Japan!

My first stop was Tokyo where I stayed 3 days at the OTHER SPACE hotel (highly recommend!) and fully dove into Japanese culture by eating at small cosy bar restaurants called “Izakaya's” and letting the chefs prepare me whatever they had on the menu that day - this is a dream scenario for every travelling chef and passionate foodie. One that really stood out for their amazing soba noodles and service - was Hegisoba Kon. I had such a great time dining on my own, talking to the waitress and chef (in broken English) and enjoy watching other diners have a great time while savouring every slurp of soba with it's leftover cooking water mixed with soy sauce and dashi. The best part of my short time in Tokyo was searching for small speciality coffee shops that also served matcha (I loved the cute and small Sorane), Japanese clothing stores (Good On) and meeting my matcha supplier since 5 ½ years who introduced me to some wonderful people in the tea industry who all have a lot of knowledge and passion in that field and are equally passionate to share not just the product but the whole story around the cultivation, region, process and most important – a true philosophy of the company and brand.

And to wrap up Part 1 of my Japanese Travel story (Kyoto & Miyazaki coming up next) - Matcha is back in stock!!! All my matcha partners in France, Germany, Austria and Amsterdam are now fully stocked and also our beloved Morning Ritual can be purchased in 30g and 100g again!

I am currently also testing new premium matcha varieties (Samidori & Okumidori*) as the “Supreme Sen” and “Heritage Premium” are still on pre-order and your demand and interest for matcha powders that can be enjoyed pure (only with water) is rising! I hear you and I am doing my best to offer you a new selection of beautifully tasting matcha varieties from Kyoto and Kagoshima region.

*Okumidori is a smooth, balanced cultivar known for its natural sweetness, low bitterness, and rich green color — perfect for a mellow, everyday matcha.

Samidori is more umami-forward and traditionally favored in traditional matcha tea ceremonies. It has a slightly deeper, more complex flavor with a refined finish.

Both are prized Japanese cultivars — Okumidori is approachable and versatile, while Samidori leans toward sophistication and depth.