Green gruel? Pea soup? What Westerners thought of matcha when they tried it for the first time

‘Matcha mania’ shows no signs of slowing, with global demand pushing supply chains to the brink. It’s marked quite the rise for a drink long met with skepticism in the West.

By: Rebecca Corbett, University of Southern California, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: April 25, 2026

Words: 1,295

Last Updated: 3 months ago

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By Rebecca Corbett, University of Southern California

“Matcha mania” shows no signs of slowing, with global demand pushing “supply chains to the brink,” as Australia’s ABC News reported in July 2025.

The powdered drink retains a massive following in Tokyo, where long lines of customers snake out of The Matcha Tokyo on any given Saturday. At the trendy, minimalist cafe, the staff uses a cast-iron kettle and a bamboo ladle. Both are a …

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