In a crowded matcha scene, that is how Matcha Masta is standing out
The worldwide matcha craze has fuelled every thing from matcha-making movies to desserts and even uncommon meals combos, comparable to matcha hotpot or matcha butters.
Its purported well being advantages embody being highly effective antioxidants and aiding in weight reduction, which has led many to swap out their day by day cup of espresso for Japanese inexperienced tea, together with Shu Hui Wee.
“I used to drink plenty of espresso and would get migraines if I skipped it. After I switched to matcha, I felt the distinction instantly. The calm, regular focus and the way light it’s on the abdomen made me a believer,” she says.
Shu Hui’s expertise isn’t distinctive. Nutritionist Tiara Hudyanna shared that lots of her purchasers skilled bloating or gassiness from their morning espresso. Whereas matcha does have its recognized advantages, she additionally identified that the majority of them weren’t getting enough protein of their day by day diets.
Associates since their undergraduate days at UC Berkeley, Shu Hui and Tiara bonded over shared experiences. These conversations ultimately revealed a spot within the saturated matcha market.
“Everybody was busy and overwhelmed, so including extra dietary supplements or separate drinks wasn’t real looking,” defined Tiara. “What if there was a easy 2-in-1 drink that gave individuals a gut-friendly caffeine supply and a strong protein increase on the similar time? One thing made for actual life and actual schedules.”
This led them to pool their financial savings to launch Matcha Masta in 2024, beginning with matcha and protein powder mixes. Vulcan Put up speaks to each founders to search out out what it takes to face out throughout the sea of matcha firms in Singapore and past.
Planting the best seed
All of Matcha Masta’s matcha is sourced from Uji, Kyoto, in Japan. To search out the best match, Tiara and Shu Hui made a number of journeys to the nation to go to totally different farms and style a variety of harvests. The enterprise additionally works with meals scientists and diet specialists who formulate its matcha and protein mixes.
Although they didn’t reveal the timeline, the founders mentioned matcha varies extensively by area and season, which meant spending important time refining the recipe and constructing relationships with Japanese companions.
“On the finish of the day, our aim is easy: clear elements, considerate formulation, and merchandise that match seamlessly into somebody’s day by day routine,” shared Tiara and Shu Hui.
Launching in a crowded matcha scene meant that the founders needed to have a distinguishable id and objective, and that began with speaking clearly to clients. Shu Hui revealed that some clients assumed that they had been promoting protein powder with matcha flavouring, which wasn’t the case.
“We needed to reintroduce ourselves time and again and say, ‘No, matcha is the star right here.’ The useful advantages are added on high, not the opposite method round. As soon as individuals tasted it, the dialog modified fully,” she added.
Having been a content material creator on Instagram for years, Tiara additionally leveraged her platform to construct model consciousness and a buyer base. The enterprise additionally entails its viewers in a number of enterprise selections, comparable to selecting its model colors and mascot, thereby rising its on-line presence.
“Our viewers is vocal in one of the best ways. They inform us what they like, what they need extra of, and what they assume. It really makes product improvement simpler as a result of we’re creating with them, not only for them,” added Tiara.
Translating on-line traction to offline earnings
The duo acknowledged that being an online-only model had its limitations, as clients couldn’t style their merchandise earlier than committing to a purchase order, which hindered gross sales. “Individuals might see our content material, however they couldn’t style the product, and matcha is such a taste-driven class,” mentioned Tiara.
This realisation prompted the enterprise to be extra lively offline by taking part in pop-up occasions with companies comparable to Barry’s Fitness center, collaborating with cafes comparable to Lola’s, and attending tasting occasions. This turned out to be the best transfer, as Matcha Masta bought virtually 2,000 drinks along with their retail merchandise at their first pop-up at New Bahru.
“We made a S$13,000 revenue in only one weekend. That’s so much for a small enterprise,” Shu Hui mentioned excitedly.
The traction they gained on-line and offline allowed Matcha Masta to increase past protein, introducing wellness-focused additions comparable to collagen and vitamin D, in addition to hojicha, one other well-liked Japanese tea.
Matcha Masta has additionally diversified its income streams into B2B, supplying its mixes to places of work and cafes, and turning into a wholesaler to company companions. “Complete gross sales in our first 12 months are within the six-digit vary, and now we have grown 15% on common each quarter.”
Goals to guide the “useful matcha” class
Inside a 12 months of launch, Matcha Masta has grown its viewers outdoors of Singapore, into Malaysia, Indonesia, and the USA. Tiara and Shu Hui have set their sights on Australia and the UK, although they continue to be pragmatic with their growth plans.
Making certain that the merchandise stay as much as their dietary promise stays paramount for Matcha Masta. As extra individuals change into inquisitive about what they devour, Tiara goals for the model to be one of many firms that make wellness extra approachable.
To additional differentiate themselves, the duo additionally shared that they’re exploring a variety of useful wellness drinks past matcha that supply advantages for immunity, digestion, pores and skin, and power.
Tiara and Shu Hui have additionally expressed their ambitions to launch a bodily experience-driven flagship house or tea bar for his or her clients to immerse themselves within the model. “It’s a mixture of schooling, innovation, and constructing one thing that lasts. That’s the path we’re heading in.”
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Featured Picture Credit score: Matcha Masta
