Are you having trouble finding your favorite Japanese matcha tea brands lately? There’s no need to panic! In this post, I’ll share a bit about why there is a matcha shortage along with 4 tips for surviving this challenging time.
Why is there a matcha shortage?
I planned on writing an article about the matcha shortage, but it has already been covered everywhere from Forbes to Eater and The Guardian. Matcha has grown in popularity exponentially in recent years with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. One of the biggest driving forces has been the rise of #MatchaTok. There has been an explosion of people making videos about preparing matcha lattes and other drinks at home.
Matcha’s meteoric surge from the end of last year to now was not something the tea industry in Japan was prepared for. The stores of tencha were used up more quickly than expected. Panicked buyers bought out matcha stores in Japan and online which only exacerbated the problem. Manufacturers will need to process and store more tencha to keep up with demand but it will take time for them to be able to do so.
Matcha is a labor-intensive agricultural product. The leaves must be shade-grown for 20 to 30 days. After harvesting the leaves are steamed and then dried with hot air before being deveined and destemmed to make tencha. The tea is then allowed to rest in refrigeration to reduce bitterness. After all of that processing, it takes an hour to grind just 30g of finished tea.
So what should a matcha maniac do in the face of the shortage? Here are 4 tips to help you survive.
Keep Calm
The most important tip I can give you is to keep calm. Matcha has been produced in Japan for thousands of years and it will continue to be made for centuries to come. Demand is at an all-time high, but spring is almost here. That means a new harvest of tea will be happening relatively soon. It will just take some time for the 2025 production from each tea producer to be processed into tencha and then make its way to the market. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Japan is also encouraging farmers who make other types of tea to focus on making tencha to help increase production in the future.
Buy Responsibly
There’s been a lot of discourse about overconsumption surrounding the matcha shortage. Matcha vendors in Japan have even had to limit how much tea each customer can purchase. Sazen Tea has had to constantly provide updates on when they expect to receive restocks.
The trouble is that matcha has the shortest shelf life of all the tea varieties. More surface area is available for oxidation because it is ground into a fine powder. For this reason, it should be consumed within 6 months of purchase and even shorter than that once the tin is opened.
Buying excessive amounts of matcha doesn’t make sense because your tea will go bad before you even get to enjoy the tea. Buy only what you need and can consume in a short time. Take your time to explore new brands and varieties because that is the best part of the journey.
Explore New Brands
The brands most affected by the matcha shortage are very old blending houses such as Ippdom, Marukyu Koyamaen, and Yamamasa Koyamaen. Many of their offerings are blended according to the preferences of the heads of different tea ceremony schools or temples. These teas are typically meant to be prepared in the usucha or koicha style, but I see them used to make lattes all over TikTok.
While these Japanese brands are well respected, they are not the only option for buying matcha. A few months ago I posted on social media asking if anyone had feedback about the shortage. Most responders were confused because they had no issues getting matcha from their suppliers. There is still plenty of good quality matcha available from other companies. Don’t be afraid to explore a bit more!
Some things to keep in mind:
- Ceremonial grade is largely a marketing term and does not give any indication of quality
- You do not need to use the highest-grade matcha if you’re making lattes or other drinks with it.
- High-quality culinary matcha will have a stronger flavor to help it stand out against milk and syrups
- Avoid websites like Amazon. Counterfeit matcha from popular brands pops up there often. The way the tea is stored is also likely not the best.
Matcha Vendors I recommend
Here are some companies I recommend if you’re looking to try something new.
Try Other Teas
Matcha can be an acquired taste, but if you enjoy it I would highly encourage you to branch out to try Japanese loose-leaf teas. Gyokruo is probably the closest to matcha in flavor. The leaves are shaded before harvesting, just like tencha is. Make sure to use very low-temperature water when brewing to avoid making it too bitter.
Fukamushi (aka deeply steamed) Sencha would also have the vegetal taste you are already familiar with. Genmaicha is made with a lower-grade green tea called bancha and toasted rice that gives it a lovely nutty flavor. If you’re looking for something lower in caffeine to enjoy later in the evening, Hojicha is a roasted green tea that fits the bill perfectly.
Have you had trouble getting your favorite brands due to the matcha shortage? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
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