Five Products: Making the Most of Matcha’s Moment in the Sun
As novelty fads like Dubai Chocolate came and went, matcha made its quiet leap from ritual to routine - crossing into the mainstream with unstoppable momentum. Once tied to traditional tea ceremonies in Japan, the bright green powder now appears in a wide range of products, from chocolate bars and canned drinks to ice cream and body care.
For consumers, matcha ticks several boxes at once: it’s naturally plant-based, it has links to focus and mindfulness, and it looks good on social media. While Starbucks helped bring matcha lattes into the everyday routine, brands across categories are now experimenting with their own takes, making matcha one of the most versatile flavours in play today.
Here are five recent launches that show how matcha is being reimagined for new occasions, new consumers, and new categories.
1. Gabriel Boudier Matcha Liqueur (FR)
Gabriel Boudier has released a new 20% ABV matcha liqueur, which captures the distinct, earthy notes of the popular Japanese green tea. This liqueur is designed for versatility, promising to add a rich, umami flavor to cocktails without the need for traditional matcha powder, making it perfect and convenient for both professional and home bartenders. It features intense green tea and vegetal notes, balanced with a subtle sweetness and a touch of bitterness. The liqueur is sold in 700ml bottles and is now available.
2. Le Damas Sweets Chocolate Matcha Bar (UAE)
Dubai-based Le Damas Sweets has introduced a new Chocolate Matcha Bar, adding to its growing range of luxury chocolates inspired by Middle Eastern and global flavours. The product pairs rich chocolate with a pistachio kunafa filling, layered with matcha green tea powder to create a sweet, nutty, and lightly grassy profile. This new variant joins the brand’s expanding portfolio of inventive chocolate combinations, designed to appeal to consumers seeking novelty and indulgence.
3. Oreo Thins Cherry Blossom Matcha (JP)
Oreo announced the release of their limited-edition Cherry Blossom Matcha Thins in Japan, combining the brand’s classic thin chocolate cookies with a cherry blossom and matcha-flavoured creme filling. Only 1,000 packs were produced and offered as a giveaway rather than a retail launch, making this one of the brand’s rarest editions. This release sits alongside Oreo’s broader seasonal and flavour innovation pipeline, which has included other region-specific variants such as Sakura Yuzu and Wasabi Oreo in Asia.
4. Trader Joe’s Sparkling Matcha Lemonade (U.S.)
Recently launched as a limited-time offering for spring and summer, Trader Joe's Sparkling Matcha Lemonade is a new take on a classic. The bubbly beverage combines a sparkling water base with a unique infusion of matcha. While the grassy flavor of matcha can be off-putting to some, its blend with bright, zesty lemonade makes for an instantly approachable and refreshing drink. While the Sparkling Matcha Lemonade stands alone for now, it follows other seasonal beverage launches from Trader Joe’s, such as Sparkling Watermelon Juice and Sparkling Strawberry Juice.
5. Gilchrist & Soames Vida Verde Matcha Amenities (U.S.)
Recently launched as a limited-time offering for spring and summer, Trader Joe's Sparkling Matcha Lemonade is a new take on a classic. The bubbly beverage combines a sparkling water base with a unique infusion of matcha. While the grassy flavor of matcha can be off-putting to some, its blend with bright, zesty lemonade makes for an instantly approachable and refreshing drink. While the Sparkling Matcha Lemonade stands alone for now, it follows other seasonal beverage launches from Trader Joe’s, such as Sparkling Watermelon Juice and Sparkling Strawberry Juice.
Honorable Mention: KitKat Matcha Ice Cream (TH)
Nestlé Thailand just announced the launch of the KitKat Matcha Ice Cream, developed at its Singapore R&D centre. The ice cream combines creamy vanilla with a bold matcha coating, adding to the brand’s long list of matcha variants in Asia, from KitKat Matcha Minis to KitKat Matcha Latte.
Brands are capitalizing on the matcha trend, with no signs of slowing down. What started as a ceremonial drink has become one of the most versatile flavors of the 21st century. Matcha is now indulgence and wellness, East and West, every day and premium, all at once.
That flexibility is exactly why brands are embracing it. Matcha doesn’t just add flavor. It adds meaning. It signals health, craft, authenticity, and novelty depending on where you put it, whether that’s in a cocktail shaker, an ice cream freezer, or a hotel bathroom.
If you’re exploring how to respond to fast-moving flavor trends like matcha and translate them into innovation that resonates with consumers, get in touch.