Matcha is conquering the world, but it is facing a crisis. The Japanese industry is intervening
The key raw material comes mainly from Japan. Matcha cultivation and production are time-consuming and highly regulated processes. The sudden increase in demand means that producers are unable to quickly increase production capacity – this would require both new plantations and trained staff. Effect? Limited availability of original matcha and rising prices.
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The supply gap opens the door to counterfeiters
Dishonest players immediately take advantage of the product deficit. There are more and more powders on the market sold as matcha, which in fact have little in common with the original. Some of them are ordinary ground green tea of lower quality, others are made from raw materials from different countries, without quality control.
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For consumers, the difference can be difficult to spota – especially in the mass segment, where price often beats quality. This, in turn, creates space for sellers offering products of questionable origin to generate high margins.
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Japan tries to protect 'matcha' brand
The growing scale of counterfeits forces the industry and regulators to react. Japan is taking action to protect product reputation – both by increasing supply chain transparency and combating unfair labeling.
Not only are billions of yen at stake, but also matcha's global image as a premium product. If consumers lose trust, the market may stall faster than it has grown.
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Global demand and the rapid expansion of product applications collide with limited supply and the growing risk of quality decline, driven by the growing scale of counterfeits. The future of the entire category depends on how effectively producers and regulators cope with these challenges.
