How Gen Z and Celebrity Culture Turned Matcha Into a Global Lifestyle Phenomenon

A green drink with a growing global footprint

Starbucks Korea sold more than 2 million cups of its matcha choux cream latte in just two weeks. In the UK, sales of matcha drinks jumped 202% in 2023. In Japan, where farmers produce the powder behind many of those drinks, some suppliers have limited purchases or stopped accepting new orders as demand stretches their capacity.

As of July 6, 2025, matcha has become much more than a Japanese ceremonial drink. The vivid green powder appears in coffee shops, supermarket beverages, beauty routines and social media feeds around the world. Gen Z, celebrities and consumers interested in wellness have helped turn it into a daily habit and a statement about personal taste.

The attraction combines several things: a distinctive color, a preparation ritual, the promise of calm and focus, and a drink that can be adapted with different milks and flavors. Instagram and TikTok put those qualities on display, while major coffee chains make matcha easier to buy.

The commercial opportunity is substantial. The Business Research Company projects that the global matcha market will grow from $3.84 billion in 2024 to $6.4 billion by 2029, with annual growth rates exceeding 10%. Those figures represent a projected increase of $2.56 billion, or about two thirds, over five years.

Japan's producers face a slower timetable. Growing suitable leaves, training skilled workers and preparing new fields takes time. The contrast between fast digital demand and slow agricultural production is now a central part of matcha's global story.

What makes matcha different from ordinary green tea?

Matcha is made from specially grown green tea leaves that are ground into a fine powder using stone mills. With ordinary green tea, drinkers steep the leaves in water and then remove them. With matcha, they consume the powdered leaf itself.

That difference delivers a concentrated intake of antioxidants, vitamins and amino acids. One of those amino acids, L-theanine, is associated with calm and focus. Matcha also contains EGCG, an antioxidant highlighted in discussions of its health benefits.

Farmers shade the tea plants before harvest. This increases chlorophyll, the substance responsible for the leaves' green color, and their amino acid content. The result is matcha's bright appearance and a flavor rich in umami, the savory quality that helps distinguish it from other teas.

Matcha's origins trace back to 12th-century China, but Japan became its spiritual and cultural home. Buddhist monks valued the drink for the state of calm alertness it could bring during meditation. Once associated with Japanese monks and samurai, it became central to the Japanese tea ceremony, a ritual built around mindfulness, respect and simplicity.

Japan remains the main production base described in the matcha trade, with Uji and Kyoto renowned for crops of high quality. The care involved in cultivation and preparation helps explain why a sudden increase in orders is difficult to meet quickly.

Why Gen Z has made matcha a daily ritual

Gen Z, the generation born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, has embraced matcha as part of an interest in wellness, sustainability and self-expression. The drink brings together those interests with a visual identity suited to social media.

Nutritionists highlight matcha's potential to reduce stress, support heart and bone health, and ease period pain through its properties that reduce inflammation. Its antioxidants, vitamins and L-theanine are also part of its appeal as a source of sustained energy, associated with fewer jitters and less of a crash than coffee.

Instagram and TikTok give the drink another advantage. Its vivid green color and frothy surface make it easy to photograph, and the hashtag #matchalattes has attracted billions of views. That recognizable appearance has spread into nail art and packaging design, making matcha a cultural reference as well as a menu choice.

Ashish D'abreo, co-founder of Maverick & Farmer Coffee in India, describes how visual culture influences the company's younger customers:

Our Gen Z customer base is very visually driven, and platforms like Instagram play a huge role in shaping their choices. They are keen to try what they see shared online, and matcha fits right into that space.

Preparing matcha also provides a small daily ritual. Whisking the powder, watching the froth form and taking the first sip can offer a moment of calm in a busy day. For consumers drawn to mindfulness and intentional living, the preparation is part of the attraction rather than simply a step before drinking.

Customization turns a drink into a social experience

Coffee chains and specialty cafes now sell matcha iced, blended, mixed with alternative milks or paired with flavors such as strawberry and lavender. Customers can choose combinations that fit their dietary preferences and wellness goals, including drinks with protein, collagen or plant-based milks.

Those choices allow the same ingredient to serve different tastes. Someone seeking a traditional preparation and someone ordering a flavored latte can both build a routine around matcha, even though their drinks look and taste different.

Workshops, pop-ups and online communities extend the experience beyond the cup. Enthusiasts exchange recipes and preparation tips, while matcha events give them places to meet. The drink becomes a way to express identity and find a sense of belonging.

An unnamed Gen Z consumer describes that combination of ritual, appearance and personal identity:

It's not just about the beverage; it's about the ritual, the aesthetic, the sense of identity. It tricks you into feeling like you've got your life together. Plus, it's brownie points for your feed.

The comment captures why matcha's appeal cannot be explained by taste alone. A drink prepared at home can also become a photograph, a shared routine and a small expression of how someone wants to live.

Celebrities and influencers expand the audience

Blackpink's Jennie, Dua Lipa, Zendaya, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kylie Jenner, Jessica Alba and Bella Hadid have been seen drinking matcha or sharing their matcha routines online. Their visibility has helped make it seem familiar as a daily ritual and desirable as a status symbol, especially among young women.

TikTok and Instagram influencers carry the trend through preparation tutorials, videos unpacking premium matcha powders and viral memes. Matcha also fits the clean girl aesthetic, a lifestyle trend centered on wellness, minimalism and personal care.

Hannah Habes, chief matcha officer of Matchaful in New York, connects that popularity to a broader consumer interest in health and fitness:

There's been a prioritization of health, fitness, and general wellness over the last decade, and I think that matcha has been able to catch some of those general trend tailwinds. As more research comes out around food nutrition, consumers are better informed and desire healthier options. Matcha tea contains various amino acids and it's also a great alternative for those who are sensitive to coffee.

Celebrity visibility and influencer content work alongside that wellness interest. They introduce the drink to audiences who may first notice its color or a familiar person's routine, then try it at a nearby cafe or prepare it at home.

From coffee counters to supermarket shelves

Starbucks, Dunkin', Pret a Manger and Caffè Nero have expanded their matcha selections, giving the drink a permanent place on menus around the world. Its presence in established chains moves it beyond the specialist tea shop and into ordinary purchasing routines.

South Korea offers a striking example of the demand. Starbucks Korea's matcha choux cream latte sold more than 2 million cups in two weeks. Lotte Wellfood and Paul Bassett have also introduced ice creams and desserts flavored with matcha to attract Gen Z consumers.

Specialty matcha bars are opening in cities including London and New York, offering premium experiences and inventive drinks. At the same time, ready-to-drink matcha beverages are taking more supermarket shelf space. Some contain probiotics or adaptogens, ingredients marketed as helping the body respond to stress.

Home preparation has created another market. Sales of bamboo whisks, ceremonial bowls and electric frothers are rising as consumers bring the ritual into their kitchens. Matcha's expansion now includes the tools used to prepare it, alongside the powder and finished drinks.

The range of products gives businesses several ways to participate in the boom. Cafes sell individual drinks, supermarkets stock packaged beverages, dessert brands use matcha as a flavor, and equipment sellers serve customers who want to make it themselves.

Matcha green moves into beauty and fashion

Matcha's distinctive color has inspired a summer manicure trend known as matcha nails, featuring soft green shades and swirling designs. The visual association allows the drink's identity to travel into products that contain no tea at all.

Fashion has also adopted its color palette, replacing previous favorites such as Barbie pink with shades associated with calm, creativity and individuality. The same green that makes a latte recognizable in a social media photograph can become a statement in clothing or accessories.

Skincare products use matcha too, with promises of detoxification and an association with Japanese purity. Those beauty claims form part of the drink's wider commercial image, alongside its links to wellness and traditional craftsmanship.

Matcha's influence across beverages, nails, fashion and skincare helps explain its description as a lifestyle phenomenon. Consumers encounter it as an ingredient, a color and a symbol, extending its reach beyond people who drink tea.

A growing market meets a slow supply cycle

India's matcha market is projected to rise from $104 million in 2024 to $167 million by 2030. That would be an increase of $63 million, or about 61%, adding another measure of the drink's reach beyond its Japanese production base.

Japan, the leading producer of matcha of high quality, is struggling to keep pace with international demand. Production of tencha, the leaves used to make matcha, more than doubled between 2010 and 2023. Even that increase has been followed by shortages and rising prices.

Climate change, labor shortages and the time needed for new tea fields to mature all constrain supply. In 2024, tencha prices in Kyoto reached record highs. Some producers imposed purchase limits, while others stopped taking new orders altogether.

The figures show how the boom developed across several years:

• 2010 to 2023: Japanese tencha production more than doubled.
• 2023: UK sales of matcha drinks increased 202%.
• 2024: Kyoto tencha prices reached record highs; the global matcha market was valued at $3.84 billion and India's market at $104 million.
• July 6, 2025: Surging demand, supply constraints and restrictions on orders formed part of matcha's global expansion.

Masahiro Okutomi, a tea farmer in Sayama, Japan, whose family has farmed for 15 generations, describes the pressure on producers:

We had to post on our website that we're no longer taking matcha orders. Making matcha is no easy task; it takes years of training to get it right. I'm happy the world is excited about our matcha… but honestly, the demand is overwhelming right now – we just can't keep up.

Some companies are building direct relationships with Japanese farms, while others are investing in agricultural technology to increase yields. New tea fields can take up to five years to mature, so those responses take time. The supply crunch is expected to persist in the near term, with no firm date given for when production will catch up.

Keeping Japanese craftsmanship visible

Matcha's global rebranding has sometimes separated the drink from its Japanese cultural roots. For many younger consumers, the main attractions are wellness, customization and appearance rather than Zen Buddhist rituals or the Japanese tea ceremony.

That shift has prompted debate over cultural appropriation and appreciation, including whether commercial popularity risks weakening the connection to matcha's heritage. The practical issue is how to keep the people, skills and traditions behind the powder visible as the drink reaches new audiences.

PerfectTed and specialty cafes are among the businesses highlighting direct sourcing from Japanese farmers and explaining differences in grades and preparation methods. Their approach brings the production process into a market often dominated by photographs of finished drinks.

Nina Klotzel, product developer at PerfectTed, describes the company's focus on the farmers behind its matcha:

We choose to highlight the real hands behind matcha: the Japanese farmers who have been pioneering the craft for generations. Our founders built these relationships in person, spending time in Japan to deeply understand the traditions and craftsmanship behind real matcha.

Gen Z's interest in balance, clarity and intentional living gives matcha a modern identity, while the preparation ritual offers a pause from the pace of everyday life. Connecting that experience to the farmers and traditions behind it can keep both parts of the story in view.

What supports matcha beyond the viral moment?

Coffee shops and brands are incorporating matcha into their regular menus and product ranges, while consumers are making it part of daily routines. Those habits give the drink a presence beyond a single burst of attention on social media.

Industry expectations described in the July 2025 article point to staying power rooted in matcha's combination of health benefits, versatility and cultural appeal. Its popularity may rise and fall, but it can serve several uses, from a traditional preparation to a flavored cafe drink or a supermarket beverage.

The market forecasts extend that expectation into the coming years: $6.4 billion globally by 2029 and $167 million in India by 2030. They are projections of future demand, while producers are already dealing with the practical demands of growing and processing more tea.

Sustainability and overconsumption remain concerns as the industry expands. Increased production carries environmental pressures, shortages strain supply, and commercial reinvention can weaken connections to cultural origins. For businesses and consumers, matcha's next stage involves the farms and craftsmanship behind the familiar green cup as much as its popularity online.

Key Points

• Gen Z, celebrities and social media have helped turn matcha from a Japanese ceremonial drink into a global lifestyle phenomenon.
• Its appeal combines wellness, vivid color, customizable drinks and a preparation ritual associated with calm and focus.
• Starbucks Korea sold more than 2 million matcha choux cream lattes in two weeks; UK matcha drink sales rose 202% in 2023.
• The global market is projected to grow from $3.84 billion in 2024 to $6.4 billion by 2029.
• India's market is projected to rise from $104 million in 2024 to $167 million by 2030.
• Japanese tencha production more than doubled between 2010 and 2023, yet producers face shortages, higher prices and overwhelming demand.
• New tea fields can take up to five years to mature, limiting how quickly supply can expand.
• Matcha now influences desserts, supermarket drinks, home preparation equipment, beauty and fashion.
• Direct sourcing and attention to Japanese farmers are part of efforts to retain the drink's connection to its craftsmanship and cultural roots.