Why Specialty Coffee Shops Are Adding Matcha to Their Menus
It's no longer just espresso and cold brew for specialty coffee shops. A growing number of customers want to enjoy a selection of coffee and tea, such as hot matcha lattes, iced matcha and seasonal signature coffees and teas.
Matcha provides a new avenue for visitors to the independent non-coffee drinker, can be served alongside pastry food products, and can be enjoyed next to espresso drinks. The important thing is selecting a grade appropriate to the recipe, milk selection, price and volume of milk consumed daily.
4 Causes Specialty Coffee Shops Making Room for Matcha
Let's look at the 4 reasons why specialty coffee shops should make room for matcha.
Familiar beverages with unique specialities, a strong speciality menu. Matcha can be added to house-made syrups, fruit, sweetened or unsweetened and served hot or iced.
It also facilitates a mixed group of people to be served at a café. Some people might want espresso, some cold brew, and some matcha latte. All three can be sold at the shop, maintaining a narrow-band specialty beverage program.
1. Matcha Adds Range to a Specialty Coffee Menu
Quality coffee beans, roast profiles, espresso machines, milk systems, as well as training staff, are already on the list of items that many coffee shops invest in. With a streamlined preparation process, matcha can be incorporated into that service.
Matcha can be served in a variety of ways at a café, such as hot or iced matcha lattes, fruit-based drinks, straight matcha and matcha pastries. To get some inspiration for menu planning, check out Matchia's tips on selecting matcha for your café or restaurant.
While good coffee is still at the heart of coffee shops, well-made tea beverages can prove to be a valuable addition to the menu for a broader clientele.
2. Which Grade of Matcha is The Best For A Coffee Shop?
Not all the matcha that is used in cafes is the utmost ceremonial matcha. It will be different for different beverages.
Ceremonial Matcha for Straight Service
For ceremonial tea and drink, lighter milk tea, and high quality applications where matcha flavor needs to be apparent, use straight matcha, lighter milk tea, and ultra ceremonial matcha.
Whisked matcha may be used in a specialty coffee bar that will require a finer grade. Matchia can supply the conventional ceremonial matcha wholesale for this kind of business.
Latte Matcha for Milk-Based Drinks
Latte Matcha is presented as a drink to drink with milk-based beverages.
Matcha can be milder in flavor with the addition of milk, sweeteners, syrups and ice. If you are looking to make something that is based on a latte, it might be easier to choose that grade, as it will still be noticeable in your recipe.
The Matchia's conventional latte grade matcha wholesale page is relevant for the cafés looking to launch a core matcha latte program.
Premium Matcha for Cooking & Drinks
Premium Matcha can be used in shops which wish to use one grade for hot lattes and iced beverages and some straight use.
Color, bitterness, umami, milk pairing, portion cost and methods of preparation are all factors to consider when buying milk. Staff can perform pre-order testing of each grade when there is a bulk order.
3. Matcha Supports Seasonal and Signature Drinks
Coffee culture in specialties is sometimes accompanied by switching out coffee and house recipes. Matcha flavors with strawberry, vanilla, citrus, coconut, cream and brown sugar.
Matchia has added a strawberry matcha latte recipe for cafés as just one possible menu recommendation.
A signature cocktail should be easy to make, be available during busy times and take into account the ingredient cost. Test the sweetness, milk type, ice level, and dosage before launch.
The qualities of consistency, storage, and repeat supply are also important. Other qualities are consistency, storage and repeat supply.
4. Consistency, Storage, and Repeat Supply Matter
Repeatability is a concern for roasters of coffee and the same goes for matcha. The amount of colour, flavour, texture and whisking action and strength of milk will influence the final product.
Freshness after opening may be lost due to heat, air, moisture and light. For matcha enthusiasts, there are some tips to ensure matcha freshness and vibrancy in the coffee, courtesy of Café teams.
Matchia has stock on hand in California and offers repeat wholesale orders. For consumers with regular demand, arrangements might be possible that supply the product weekly or monthly.
The benefits of having a California supplier for coffee shops in the Bay Area.
Why Bay Area Coffee Shops May Prefer a California Supplier?
There's already an established coffee scene in the San Francisco Bay Area, and specialty drinks are in demand. A California supplier can provide a more direct line of communication and repeat ordering for cafés in Hayward, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento and the rest of the West Coast.
Matchia has its base in Hayward, CA and wholesales to customers throughout the USA. Matchia offers wholesale matcha for cafés that businesses can check out.
Why Matchia Is a Strong Matcha Partner for Coffee Shops?
Matchia's Matcha products are an excellent match for coffee shops for several reasons:
Matchia targets wholesale and B2B buyers—such as cafés, coffee shops, boba shops, restaurants, coffee/beverage brands, food manufacturers and food distributors.
We have Ultra Ceremonial Matcha, Ceremonial Matcha, Premium Matcha, Latte Matcha, Culinary Matcha, Single Origin Matcha, Hojicha, organic Matcha and conventional Matcha. It is mostly sourced from Shizuoka, Japan, particularly in Japan.
Instead of pushing all cafes to the highest price of the products, Matchia is helping buyers to compare the products by different flavors, colors, usage, preparation methods, and price.
Minimum order is 1kg of wholesale. Discounts, sample kits, and repeat supply discounts are offered to business customers. Private labeling begins from 20kg onwards.
What Coffee Shops Should Test Before Launch?
Before you use matcha on the menu, you should test:
- Flavor in your dairy and non-dairy milks.
- Strengthen and add color to ice.
- Sugar and amount of food served.
- Staff preparation time.
- Storage after opening.
- Cost per drink.
- Customers' responses while in a trial.
Your barista team can make comparisons of grades before ordering in greater quantity with Matchia’s sample program.
Conclusion
Specialty coffee shops have been introducing matcha to expand their menu and to create coffee-tea-based beverages that let them be more creative, as well as providing their patrons with an option other than espressos. The key to success is selecting the correct grade, testing recipes, training staff, and reliable supply.
Looking for ideas to put together a matcha menu for your café or coffee shop? Matchia will be able to advise you on the matcha type to use for lattes, ceremonial or specialty beverages. Fill out the Matchia wholesale enquiry page to send them samples and discuss 1kg+ business orders.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What's the need for specialty coffee shops to bring matcha to their menus?
They are bringing matcha in to offer their patrons a greater variety of beverages other than coffee, to help keep seasonal drink offerings going and to make their café available for customers who don't want espresso or cold brew.
What matcha grade is best for a coffee shop?
The ceremonial grades are for use with straight matcha and the Latte Matcha grades are more suitable for milk tea. Premium Matcha is suitable for various applications for a café.
Is it possible for a café to have one grade for each beverage?
Yes, but it might not be perfect. Two grades could be more suitable for a café that offers straight matcha and sweet iced lattes.
What is the wholesale minimum order from Matchia?
Matchia's minimum order quantity when ordering wholesale is 1kg. The company provides sample kits, quotes, volume discounts, and repeat supply for businesses.
Does Matchia offer private label matcha?
Yes. Private labeling starts at 20kg for qualified business buyers.