09-04-2025
Matcha companies issue limits on purchases as potential global matcha shortage looms
Grace Fazio, a L.A. resident and college student, has a matcha almost every day. Moving from Pittsburgh, she wasn't familiar with the popular drink until she moved to L.A.'When I first moved to L.A., my friends were like, 'You've never tried matcha,'' said Fazio. '[Now], I have a matcha every single day.'Fazio also cited health benefits as a reason for matcha being one of her favorite drinks. 'I used to drink coffee more often in the past,' said Fazio. 'I was diagnosed with a heart condition at the beginning of the semester, and I have to be more cautious of my caffeine intake.'Fazio isn't alone. Many matcha connesiours share the same sentiments. Industry experts agree that interest in personal health following the Covid-19 pandemic can be attributed to the tea's popularity.'A lot of people are learning that this is a very healthy product,' said Yongsun Paik, director of the Center for International Business Education and Center for Asian Business and professor of international business and management at Loyola Marymount University. 'I think that this particular tea is known for its real good health benefits, such as it contains [antioxidants] content and also helps boost your energy.'Social media has also increased the popularity of the drink. Matcha-related content has opened new markets where matcha was previously 'essentially unknown.'
As the popularity of matcha continues to grow, companies such as Ippodo Tea are placing restrictions on the amount of the product that people can buy. The company stated that while matcha's popularity has grown over the years, 'in recent months, demand has surged beyond all expectations.'As a result, Ippodo said that their Kanza, Kuon, Seiun/Shoin and Hatsu blends would be temporarily unavailable. The company also stated that there will be a limit of 12 units per customer every 60 company cited two key factors that limit supply: Matcha is harvested once a year and high-quality matcha production is a 'slow [and] precise' also states that space and labor shortages could be a likened the process of matcha to that of Colombia's coffee industry, sharing that high quality coffee beans are hand picked. He guessed that the processes are quite similar and that younger generations in both countries might not be as interested in the industry.
'[Younger] generations in Japan, just like in Colombia, [may not be] terribly interested in the tea industry,' said Paik. 'They are more interested in software, entertainment … so I think the shortage of labor is one of the main things that really make it difficult to meet the growing demand.' He also states that matcha will potentially need to be grown in other parts of the world. He equated this phenomenon to that of the wine and kimchi industry.'Kimchi is originally from Korea, but now the Chinese are making kimchi and they are selling kimchi in their own brand,' said Paik. 'I would suspect that probably the same thing would happen in the future for the matcha industry [in] Japan.'Paik shared that he doesn't think that it will have a massive effect on Japan's economy. 'By innovation, by differentiation and by branding, I believe it's not going to hurt the Japanese economy, but at the same time, it should be able to continue to accommodate the changing matcha market, the growing demand and all the other factors that will affect the matcha supply in Japan,' said Paik.
He also shares that this is a 'good illustration of the globalization of the global economy.''This is not surprising,' concluded Paik. 'This is the result of the global economy and globalozation. We have to solve the problem collectively and try to meet the growing demand.'In response to a potential shortage, Fazio said she's terrified.'For people who are buying matcha [and] making it at home, or getting it from other places, I think that if there's a shortage, that [may] result in [an] upcharge in price,' said Fazio. 'I think, especially in L.A., I don't think that that's gonna affect the demand.'Despite this, she shared that she doesn't plan on halting her matcha drinking anytime soon.'If anything, hearing this shortage just makes me want to drink it more because I'm scared that it's gonna run out,' said Fazio. 'I'll still continue to drink it every day until they tell me that it's out.'
