Matcha tea has captured hearts and Instagram feeds globally. Its iconic green hue has become synonymous with cutesy social media trends, showing up in everything from lattes and cocktails to cakes, cookies and ice cream. But the worldwide love affair with matcha has put unprecedented pressure on producers, leading to a growing shortage and caps on purchases (if you can get it at all).

The trend, rooted in Japanese culture, took off as health-conscious consumers discovered matcha’s benefits, from high antioxidant content to natural energy-boosting properties.

Matcha exploded into more than just a tea; it has become a staple in cafes and dessert shops everywhere. A quick search on Instagram or TikTok reveals millions of posts under hashtags like #matchalatte and #matcharecipes, ranging from matcha cheesecakes to matcha-flavoured doughnuts.

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This surge in popularity, while exciting, has led to a major supply challenge for producers, particularly those in Japan, where the highest quality matcha is sourced. According to Japan’s agricultural ministry, matcha production nearly tripled from 2010 to 2023, and green tea exports, including matcha, increased by 25 percent last year.

Traditionally, premium matcha was only reserved for tea ceremonies. But now consumers around the world are seeking it for everyday use. But as demand for premium matcha soars, many Japanese tea farms, some family-owned for generations, are struggling to keep up. Growing and processing high-quality matcha is a labour-intensive task, which can lead to limited production. Farmers hand-pick the tea leaves, dry them and grind them in specialised stone mills that process less than 60 grams of leaves per hour.

Last year, a statement from Ippodo Tea, one of Japan’s most popular tea producers for nearly three centuries, imposed a temporary suspension of the sale of a dozen of its matcha products, as well as a maximum number of matcha products shoppers could buy.

“Production has been unable to keep pace with the recent surge in demand for matcha, leading to a shortage of supply,” it read. “As a result, we regret to inform you that we will temporarily suspend the sales of certain products until the beginning of 2025.”

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Other long-running Japanese tea producers Marukyu Koyamaen and Horrii Shichimeien also sold out of ceremonial grade matcha for the first time in history. Here in Australia, Sydney’s Simply Native announced in November last year that customers could buy only one matcha item per brand per person.

However, according to Anna Poain, director of the Global Japanese Tea Association, all of this has only lead to a spate of matcha “panic buying”.

She told The New York Times that demand has soared even higher since last year as buyers try to stockpile, making it increasingly difficult to source in Japan.

The industry is ill-prepared for this sudden surge, she claimed, with many Japanese tea farms being small, family-run operations.

The Japanese government has encouraged tea farmers to shift to growing matcha, but many are hesitant, unsure how long the craze will last.

“Many people say it’s here to stay, but who knows,” Poain said. “Building factories and other infrastructure is risky. It’s not that easy to do”.

Right now, the matcha craze shows no signs of slowing down, but consumers may need to wait a little longer – or pay a bit more – to get their next fix.

Does matcha tea contain caffeine?

Yes! Matcha tea does contain caffeine, but not as much as a cup of coffee. On average, a cup of matcha tea contains about 70mg, around half that of a cup of coffee.

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