Move over flat white — there’s a new favourite in New Zealand’s café scene, and it’s a vivid shade of green. Matcha, the finely ground powder made from green tea leaves, has officially gone from centuries-old Japanese tea ceremonies to everyday Kiwi café menus, Stuff reported.
According to Stuff, the rise of matcha in Aotearoa is being driven by a perfect storm: TikTok aesthetics, the wellness trend, and a strong café culture all colliding at the right time.
Tessa Stockdale, who co-founded Kiwi matcha company Nomu with her mother in December 2024, told Stuff that demand has been overwhelming.
“We have a café down in the South Island who said they’re selling more matcha than flat whites, and as a flat white-drinking country, that’s so crazy,” she said. “For the first six months, we couldn’t stay in stock. It was three times sold out.”
Stuff noted that the majority of the world’s matcha supply still comes from Japan, where it is harvested three times a year. Stockdale explained that not all harvests are equal: “Everyone will mostly know the term ceremonial grade, and that comes from the ichiban harvest, which is the first harvest in the season. It’s the best in terms of taste, it’s the best in terms of the health benefits.”
Those benefits include a calmer, slow-release caffeine boost compared with coffee, as well as powerful antioxidants, Stuff reported. With Kiwi supermarkets also now stocking the powder, demand is only accelerating.
“We just launched into [Auckland boutique chain] Farro last week… the buyer has been messaging me this week going, ‘Oh my God, these numbers are huge, we haven’t seen this ever within the category,’” Stockdale told Stuff.
Tony Lee, owner of Kompass Coffee in central Auckland, also told Stuff he has witnessed a dramatic increase in matcha sales. With new flavours like strawberry, mango, and Earl Grey appearing on menus, many customers are now choosing the vibrant tea as a lighter alternative to coffee.