Why Matcha is More than Just a Buzzword for your Business

Matcha isn’t just a buzzword.

Although, 2014 has seen it been used with a new fervour, and you might be forgiven for thinking it was one. We know a lot of you are curious or sceptical about Matcha, everyone is talking about it and you’re probably wondering - what’s this green stuff, who wants it and what on earth do I do with it?

So, to answer your first question - Matcha (very quickly) is basically 100% Organic Green Tea leaves ground down into a fine green powder. This can then be whisked with a bit of water to create a shot and used to build beverages from.

It’s such a big deal because of all its health benefits: 

• Studies show that Matcha can provide you with over 137 times more polyphenols (antioxidants) than regular steeped green tea, due to the fact that you actually consume the ground-up leaves.

• Not only is matcha the most powerful antioxidant among teas, research has shown that Matcha is gram for gram, the most powerful antioxidant known to occur naturally in nature.

• Another factor that makes Matcha so unique is that it can provide an energy boost that lasts up to five hours, and at 70mg of caffeine per cup (versus coffee's 100mg) you get a real energy kick, minus the jitters.

• Matcha is often classed as a superfood and is associated with everything from reducing blood pressure to protecting your brain against ageing.

Whether or not you’re convinced by Matcha - your customers will be. Just like they jumped on the Pilates Bandwagon, so too will they line up for Matcha. It’s your job as their food service provider to ensure it’s there when they come asking. We all know that the ultimate customer service is when a company gives you something you want, before you’ve even asked for it.

At Solaris we have created a Matcha blend with a twist. Along with our premium grade Matcha, we have recently introduced our food grade vanilla which contain all the benefits of Matcha, but with an added, subtle sweetness.

Our Matcha is versatile and can be used in a variety of ways including Matcha lattes, cappuccinos, cocktails, smoothies or straight up as a health boosting shot. Beverages aside, some creative customers are thinking outside the cup by using Matcha in their recipes. Nothing draws a crowd like a vibrant green sponge cake that is bursting with goodness offering a long lasting energy boost like nothing else.

The Health industry is booming and Matcha isn’t just a craze. Sure, you can ignore the hype, but you’ll kick yourself a year from now when you are trying to meet the demand or have lost some of your customer base, because another restaurant had the foresight to offer it.