Is matcha the new coffee? India’s green obsession brews strong

For a long time, India’s relationship with green tea was purely transactional — drink, detox, repeat. But now, there’s a new green in town that’s not just sipped, but whisked, photographed, inhaled, and even revered: Matcha.

After pickleball had its brief moment in the celebrity sun, complete with paparazzi shots and fitness reels, India’s tastemakers have shifted their obsession to a different kind of green: Matcha. But unlike pickleball, which rode the hype wave and quickly fizzled out for many, matcha seems here to stay. It’s part of morning rituals, mood boards and mindful breaks between shoots. Where pickleball was an event, matcha is a lifestyle, quiet, intentional, and ritual-driven. It checks all the boxes today’s wellness-first, aesthetics-savvy generation craves. And let’s be honest: it’s much easier to whisk than to find a free court.

Of course, nothing green-lights a trend quite like an influencer with a frother. One day it was bronzer routines and oat milk; the next, every other creator was double-tapping their way through a ‘matcha morning’. No soft launches here, matcha was practically catapulted into the mainstream, armed with aesthetic mugs, bamboo whisks, and captions that made chlorophyll sound sexy. And while most trends fade after the fifteenth GRWM, matcha has survived the content carousel. Why? Because it offers what most trends don’t: substance behind the style. It looks great, yes—but it also calms your nervous system and cleanses your gut. That’s rare internet behaviour.

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Before it became a beverage buzzword, matcha first appeared in India’s skincare aisles, dressed in clay masks and face scrubs, promising detoxed skin and a touch of Japanese purity. What was once just another ‘super-ingredient’ on beauty shelves is now being worshipped in Indian kitchens and cafés, and perhaps, the biggest global wellness crossover since yoga.

So, is matcha India’s new-age coffee or just another trend riding Gen Z’s wave of ‘calm energy’ and aesthetic rituals? We explored the rise of India’s matcha moment through three unique lenses: a café brewing it for the community, a D2C brand crafting homegrown matcha rituals, and a celebrity co-founded label giving the green wave its glam. Matcha isn’t just having a moment; it’s making a movement!

For cafés like Third Wave Coffee, the matcha story didn’t start as a sidekick to espresso. It emerged as a distinct experience for a growing audience hungry for wellness-forward alternatives. Anirudh Sharma, Co-Founder at Third Wave Coffee, shared, “In the last 2–3 years, we have seen growing traction in Tier 2 and 3 towns like driven by aspirations, digital influence, and increased travel exposure. Today, both our Iced Japanese Matcha Latte and Hot Japanese Matcha Latte rank among the top favourites across regions.”

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Interestingly, matcha isn’t stealing coffee’s crown, it’s attracting a different tribe altogether: Gen Zs, wellness devotees, and curious caffeine dabblers who want that midday lift without the crash. “It is indeed helping us in expanding our customer base and appeal to wellness first generation,” Sharma explained. “This audience is looking for cleaner, functional alternatives in a café experience; therefore, it allows us to serve customers who prefer non-coffee options, without diluting our brand identity. Though our core community remains deeply loyal to their coffee rituals but matcha has unlocked a new potential for us.”

And it’s not just about the drink. From lattes to desserts, cafés are turning matcha into a full-fledged lifestyle category, one that doesn’t replace coffee, but redefines what a café can offer.

For Anushree Musaddy, Founder of Noon Matcha, the green revolution started with a personal obsession, and a massive quality gap in the Indian market. “After trying incredible matcha abroad, I just couldn’t find anything that came close back home. There were barely any Indian matcha brands at the time,” she said. “I knew it was the perfect moment to bring in something authentic and really high quality, not just any green powder, but actual ceremonial-grade matcha that people could fall in love with too.”

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While the early adopters were drawn to matcha for its benefits, focus, calm, and gut health, many stayed for the ritual. Think handmade bowls, bamboo whisks, and matcha mornings that look as good as they feel.

“We see two types of matcha lovers,” Musaddy shared. “The routine-ritual wellness folks who geek out over L-theanine and calm focus, and the glow-getters who want that dewy skin and gut health boost. Matcha gives them both, it’s wellness that actually tastes yum.”

Education, she says, has been just as important as the product itself. “People still think it’s just ‘green tea powder’, it’s not. Matcha is shade-grown, handpicked, stone-ground magic,” she said. “And good matcha doesn’t taste like grass, it’s smooth, earthy, slightly sweet, and has this umami flavour that’s honestly addictive once you get it right.”

The community around Noon is tight-knit and supportive, with the brand already seeing repeat purchases—not just for refills, but for matcha kits, gift sets, and tools to brew the perfect cup of aesthetic wellness. “That tells us matcha isn’t just a phase, it’s part of their routine now and is here to stay,” adds Musaddy.

Bree Matcha is co-founded by actress Sanya Malhotra and backed by Essenzaa Nutrition. “This is not just another celebrity endorsement, Sanya is our co-founder, and that changes everything,” said Siddharth Shah, Co-Founder, Bree Matcha. “A passionate matcha enthusiast for over three years, she is also our most devoted consumer.”

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Shah added, “Every generation has its defining drink. Boomers embraced chai, Millennials made coffee their staple, and for Gen Z, matcha is becoming the new ritual. This shift goes beyond taste, it represents a changing culture around how we nourish and energize ourselves.”

For Bree, the aim isn’t just to leverage fame, but to build a community of matcha lovers. “At Bree, every consumer and matcha lover is part of our community and becomes an advocate in their own right,” Shah said. “We’re building a tribe where passion and authenticity drive influence, creating genuine connections that extend far beyond any single celebrity.”

The brand’s strategy is to remain globally aligned yet locally adaptable. “While rooted in international quality and wellness trends, we ensure the product experience fits seamlessly into Indian consumers’ daily routines through thoughtful flavor profiles, packaging, and communication,” Shah noted.

While Bree Matcha has just launched and data is still building, the traction has been encouraging. “It’s premature to share long-term data,” Shah admitted, “but the initial enthusiasm from our community has been incredibly encouraging.”

Is matcha the new coffee?

Not quite. While coffee has long been associated with routine and energy, matcha represents something more intentional. In a time when consumers are increasingly focused on wellness, mindful living, and aesthetic simplicity, intention matters more than ever.

From café menus and home kitchens to celebrity-backed product launches, matcha has evolved beyond its status as a health drink. And if recent trends are any indication, matcha isn’t just having a moment. It’s becoming a mainstay in modern wellness culture, and it might just be your next favourite addition to the cart.