News Surging global demand for matcha sparks fears of shortage in Japan

[Ukigumo]

The only valid reason not to like ice cream is if it causes you extreme digestive distress. But even then such people should be able to at least eat gelato or vegan ice cream.

I promise, I have never been cruel to a puppy in any shape or form

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

"Matcha Bubble" Arrives!? Massive Matcha Boom Among Foreigners – Producers Thrilled, but Rising Prices May Accelerate Japanese Decline in Tea Consumption… Matcha Business Booms in Dubai – Is the Matcha Craze a Hope or a Dark Side? [The Real Story] (Kantele News)

Right now, Japanese matcha is experiencing an unprecedented boom, especially among foreigners!
Rising demand has pushed prices upward, and the craze has reached a level that could even be called a "bubble."
But is this boom a beacon of hope, or a gateway to trouble?
We looked into the real reasons behind its growing popularity.




The phrase "matcha business booming in Dubai" refers to the growing popularity and commercial success of matcha-related products and services in Dubai. Specifically, it includes:
Popularity of matcha on cafe and restaurant menus
Matcha lattes, matcha desserts (cakes, ice cream, chocolates, etc.) are becoming trendy, especially among foreigners and high-income residents.
Import and sale of matcha products
Powdered matcha, matcha dessert kits, bottled matcha drinks, and other products are imported from Japan and sold locally.
Even at high prices, there is strong demand, allowing sellers and importers to profit.
Spread through social media and trends
Platforms like Instagram promote matcha as "stylish and healthy," increasing interest among young people and tourists.

 

[salyavin]

You can use low quality matcha for lattes, deserts etc. might as well import that from China as I suspect the Japanese often do.

 

[Ukigumo]

Once my single tea shrub is a bit bigger, I'll dry and powder the leaves in a food processor and then I'm going to start exporting to Japan; 'Devonshire matcha…the perfect cream tea'.

I'm gonna be rich, I tell ya! RICH!

 

[salyavin]

Once my single tea shrub is a bit bigger, I'll dry and powder the leaves in a food processor and then I'm going to start exporting to Japan; 'Devonshire matcha…the perfect cream tea'.

I'm gonna be rich, I tell ya! RICH!

Then this is for you In-Depth Review: Sharp TE-T56U-GR Tea-Cere Matcha Tea Maker Unveiled

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Why is matcha so difficult to produce?

Matcha isn't just "powdered green tea." Its production requires highly specialized cultivation and processing methods. The main reasons are:

1. Special cultivation of tencha (the raw material for matcha)
Shade-grown: Several weeks before harvest, tea fields are covered with reed screens or cloth to block sunlight.
This reduces the production of catechins (bitter compounds) and preserves more theanine (umami compound).
It requires extra labor, cost, and skill compared to ordinary tea cultivation.

2. Unique processing
To make tencha, leaves are steamed and dried without rolling (unlike sencha, which is rolled).
This makes the leaves flatter and easier to grind, but achieving even drying requires expertise.

3. Grinding with a stone mill
Traditional matcha is ground with a stone mill, producing an ultra-fine powder.
A single mill can only produce about 40 g per hour (2–3 servings).
Grinding must be slow and steady to avoid heat, which would damage aroma, flavor, and color.

4. Fragile quality
As a powder, matcha is extremely sensitive to air, light, and humidity.
It oxidizes and loses its vivid green color and fresh flavor quickly.
Strict low-temperature storage and airtight packaging are essential.

5. High standards of taste and texture
For tea ceremony use, matcha must whisk into a smooth foam with rich aroma and umami.
This requires precise collaboration between farmers, tea processors, and tea merchants.
Simply grinding tea leaves isn't enough — the whole chain must be carefully managed.

Special cultivation (shade-grown)
Delicate tencha processing
Slow stone-mill grinding
Strict quality preservation
Flavor and aroma standards for tea ceremony

All these factors combined make matcha production challenging, labor-intensive, and expensive.

抹茶臼 | 石臼研究所キョウラク

 

[Ukigumo]

Isn't this 'growing in the shade' what they also do for gyokuro? The process increases chlorophyll content as the plant slightly struggles to photosynthesis in reduced light. Chlorophyll has a grassy taste which accounts for the delightful taste of gyokuro, my favourite type of tea.