The world’s obsession with the bright green Japanese tea matcha has sparked a global shortage “for the first time in history.”
According to ABC News, with its rich aroma, mellow umami and vivid green colour, matcha has become a staple in lattes and confections in Australia and around the world.
The Japanese green tea powder is made from young tencha leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.
It contains caffeine and the amino acid L-theanine, which some researchers say promotes calm alertness without the crash of coffee.
While matcha has been used in Japanese tea ceremonies for centuries, its global popularity has exploded, especially among millennials and gen Z, thanks to viral videos featuring homemade matcha latte recipes and rating brands.
The Kyoto-based Global Japanese Tea Association describes the impact of the current hype as "unprecedented".
"For the first time in history, we are experiencing a matcha shortage, since autumn of last year," says association co-founder Anna Poian.
The organisation has not observed such a surge in demand since Häagen-Dazs launched its green tea ice cream in the 1990s and Starbucks introduced matcha lattes in the early 2000s.
