Matcha mania reaches Byron Bay with launch of new coffee alternative

SUFFOLK Park couple Va and Joy Barber Hua have launched a new business selling ready-to-drink oat matcha lattes as an alternative to coffee.

The pair discovered matcha in 2018 during their first trip to Japan, where they quickly fell in love with the drink. The finely ground powder, made from specially shade-grown green tea leaves, is known for its vibrant green colour and is traditionally whisked with hot water to make tea.

“We saw it everywhere – ice creams, cakes and of course tea ceremonies,” Va said. “We brought some back with us and were hooked. Joy was struggling with adrenal fatigue at the time and a sensitive stomach, so coffee wasn’t an option anymore and she found that matcha gave her the lift she needed without the jitters or stomach pain she was getting with coffee. When we ran out, we realised that it wasn’t easy to get hold of great matcha powder in Australia.”

They began whisking matcha at home each morning but soon started wondering whether there was a more convenient option – something they could grab and sip on their way out the door when time was tight.

“We discovered there was in other parts of the world but not in Australia, so we got to work,” Va said.

Over several months, the couple tested more than 30 different types of matcha sourced from suppliers across Japan, eventually settling on one from Higashisonogi that stood out for its smooth, low-bitterness profile, high umami and vibrant colour.

“This is a result of where it’s grown – the volcanic soil and proximity to the ocean provides mineral-rich sea air that feeds the soil,” Va said. “We haven’t visited the farm yet but plan to very soon.”

They enlisted a team of food scientists to help bring the idea to life and found a manufacturer in Brisbane, and House of Matcha was born.

Matcha has surged in popularity over the past year, driven in part by Japan’s soaring popularity as a travel destination and social media.

“Matcha is definitely having a moment,” Va said. “It gives you the caffeine boost many of us look for in the morning or as an afternoon pick-up but in a more sustained way than the spike you get from coffee, with the added benefits of L-theanine for calm focus and the antioxidants that you get with all green tea. And there’s the aesthetic of matcha – it just looks so good in a glass – which is spawning a million TikTok trends and Instagram posts from Gen Z and millennials.”

The couple have received overwhelming support from local businesses. The product is already stocked in 13 stores across northern NSW and Queensland, including IGAs in Byron Bay, Brunswick Heads, Lennox Head and Mullumbimby, Red Ginger venues in Byron Bay and Bangalow, and The Pass Café, where they held a community launch last week.

“We’ve done tastings in a few stores already and sold out there,” Va said. “We plan to get around to all the stores to carry out tastings and meet their customers.”