The craze turns this "green powder" into gold

From a symbol in Japanese tea ceremonies, matcha has become a global trend drink. The surge in demand following the pandemic, resonating with the health trend on social media, is driving matcha prices to record highs and making it difficult even for Japanese people to buy a small box of green tea powder. Chitose Nagao, a former advertising employee, opened Atelier Matcha after nearly 30 years in the industry. She did not expect there would always be long lines outside her shop. By mid-afternoon, the matcha boxes on the shelves were sold out, while customers – mostly international tourists – were still queuing to try the new menu. Nagao's luck lies in her collaboration with Yamamasa Koyamaen, a tea producer in Kyoto. Upon hearing that their tea was in short supply during the Covid period, she decided to stock up. Four years later, Atelier Matcha has two stores in Japan, one in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), and is set to open another in Cebu (Philippines). Matcha has a history dating ...