Matcha: It’s Just Avocado Toast in a Cup

You’ve seen it everywhere: all over social media, featured on the new menu at your local café, photographed in the hands of your favourite influencers – matcha.

Once a deeply respected part of Japanese tea ceremonies, prepared with utmost care and intention, matcha is now a $9 latte served in a cute cup, perfect for your next Instagram post. Like avocado toast before it, matcha has gone from a niche cultural delicacy to a trendy lifestyle accessory.

Specialty cafés are already cashing in on its popularity – matcha is officially on the radar for 2025’s biggest café trends. Walk into any trendy café or have a quick scroll on TikTok and you’ll spot the unmistakable green ombre in a cup. But is the popularisation of matcha a sign of genuine cultural appreciation, or just another social media fad?

It’s not that matcha tastes bad – it’s that for many; the taste isn’t even the point. The hype behind matcha is the perfect blend of influencer culture and wellness marketing. Just like avocado toast, matcha’s vivid green colour has become a visual cue for “healthy” – a quick, photogenic signal that sells. These days, matcha consumption has become performative: it’s less about enjoying tea, and more about being seen drinking it (bonus points if it matches your outfit!).

From matcha pastries to skincare, the drink has been stretched so far beyond its origins that most people consuming it today have never experienced it in its traditional form. Its transformation into a commercial trend hasn’t made it less healthy – but it has made it less about the calming ritual and more about quick consumption and aesthetic appeal. Inevitably, the matcha craze has led to a textbook case of overconsumption – demand has grown so rapidly that for the first time ever, the world is experiencing a matcha shortage. Self-control? Never heard of it.

None of this is to say matcha isn’t worth drinking. It’s delicious, full of antioxidants, and a genuine alternative to coffee for those seeking a calmer energy boost. But the Western obsession with matcha has less to do with its taste or health benefits, and more to do with how well it photographs. When the hype fades, will matcha return to being a drink of deep tradition – or just be remembered as the $9 green prop on our Instagram feeds?