[Exclusive] Why Malaysians Are Becoming More Serious About Matcha (And It’s Not Just Because Of TikTok)
Consumers are moving beyond Instagram-worthy green drinks and asking where their matcha comes from, who grew it and whether it’s actually authentic.
- Malaysians are moving beyond aesthetics, now asking about matcha origins, grades, and flavour profiles rather than just appearance.
- Brighter green does not mean better quality; authentic matcha has natural bitterness and no official Japanese grading system exists.
- Malaysian palates are evolving, with more customers choosing stronger, bitter matcha and showing genuine interest in Japanese tea culture.
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A few years ago, ordering matcha in Malaysia was fairly straightforward.
If a café offered a matcha latte or a matcha cheesecake, chances were customers were simply happy to see it on the menu.
Today, that’s no longer the case.
Instead of asking whether a café serves matcha, many Malaysians are now asking where the tea comes from, why one cup tastes more bitter than another, and whether they’re drinking authentic Japanese matcha or something that’s simply green in colour.
“When I first arrived, there wasn’t much awareness about matcha. Saying it was imported directly from Kyoto already made it feel special,” she told TRP.
“Now customers ask about the tea’s origin, the producer and even the difference between ceremonial and culinary grade.”
It’s a sign that Malaysia’s matcha culture is slowly maturing.
Social Media Started The Trend, But It’s Not What’s Keeping People Around
There’s no denying TikTok and Instagram helped fuel Malaysia’s current matcha obsession.
But Miho believes social media is only the starting point.
“People often discover us through videos or photos,” she said.
“Once they’re here, quality is what keeps them interested.”
That curiosity has encouraged more consumers to learn about single-origin tea, production methods and flavour profiles instead of judging a drink purely by how photogenic it looks.
Malaysia Was Always Ready For Matcha
Miho believes Malaysia’s love affair with matcha isn’t accidental.
Unlike many neighbouring countries, Malaysia already has a deep appreciation for tea, whether it’s teh tarik, Chinese tea or modern café culture.
On top of that, Malaysians are naturally adventurous eaters.
“Malaysia is such a food-loving nation,” she said.
“People genuinely enjoy exploring new flavours, and they’re also very open to experiencing Japanese food without expecting it to be localised.”
That openness has allowed authentic Japanese tea to find its own audience.
Not Every Bright Green Matcha Is High Quality
As matcha becomes more mainstream, misconceptions have followed.
One of the biggest myths? That brighter green automatically means better.
According to Miho, that’s not always true. In some cases, an unnaturally vibrant green may come from added colouring, while authentic matcha naturally carries some bitterness alongside its signature umami.
Another common misunderstanding involves “ceremonial grade.”
Although many consumers assume it’s an official quality ranking, Japan doesn’t actually have a government-recognised grading system for matcha.
Instead, terms like ceremonial, premium and culinary are largely marketing categories designed to help consumers navigate different products.
What really determines quality, she explains, is much like wine: where the tea is grown, when it’s harvested and who produces it.
Malaysian Palates Are Changing Too
When Matcha Eight first opened, many customers gravitated towards lighter, sweeter flavours.
Today, Miho has noticed something interesting.
More Malaysians are beginning to appreciate stronger, more bitter matcha that closely resembles how it’s enjoyed in Japan.
“In Japan, richer bitterness is often associated with premium matcha,” she said.
“Recently we’ve seen more customers actively choosing our strongest matcha instead of avoiding it.”
It’s another sign that local tastes are evolving beyond sweetness.
The Farmers Behind Every Cup
For Miho, authenticity isn’t just about sourcing tea from Japan. It’s also about introducing customers to the people who grow it.
Matcha Eight works directly with eight tea farmers in Wazuka, Kyoto, rather than purchasing through middlemen.
Recently, three of those farmers visited Kuala Lumpur to see how Malaysians enjoy their tea.
“They tried drinks like our Strawberry Matcha Latte and Yuzu Matcha Fizzy,” Miho recalled.
“I was nervous because those aren’t common in Japan, but they enjoyed them and said they worked in their own way.”
The visit also highlighted challenges many Japanese tea farmers quietly face today, including an ageing farming population, climate change and shrinking numbers of younger successors willing to continue family farms.
By sourcing directly, Miho hopes customers understand there’s a human story behind every scoop of matcha ice cream or every cup they drink.
Matcha’s Future In Malaysia
Looking ahead, Miho believes Malaysia’s matcha culture will become less about following trends and more about understanding the product itself.
Consumers, she says, are already becoming more interested in where their tea comes from, how it’s produced and why different matcha varieties taste different.
She also expects less-sweet, tea-forward products to become increasingly popular as Malaysian palates continue to develop.
“The future isn’t about matcha staying a trend,” she said.
“It’s about matcha becoming a permanent part of Malaysia’s food culture.”
The Brand Bringing Wazuka Matcha To Malaysia
After relocating to Malaysia, she realised that while matcha-flavoured drinks and desserts were becoming increasingly popular, authentic Japanese tea ice cream remained surprisingly difficult to find.
That observation eventually led to the launch of Matcha Eight, a brand built around single-origin matcha sourced directly from farmers in Wazuka, Kyoto, with recipes developed alongside Michelin-starred chef Takuji Takahashi.
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