Matcha is having a pretty big global moment.

What was once a centuries-old tradition mostly used in Japanese tea ceremonies has become a global staple for many. Matcha is showing up everywhere these days, from baked goods to smoothies, at coffee shops, and even on skincare shelves. Scroll any social feed, and you’ll see a beautiful video of an influencer whisking matcha into a bright green frothy latte.

But as matcha has risen, so have imitations. 

The rise of matcha

Over the last few years, the demand for matcha has exploded. And social media has played a massive role in its rise. Influencers and wellness creators have spotlighted matcha’s numerous health benefits and how it can be a great “cleaner” caffeine alternative. It’s also beautiful, which makes for excellent content. 

And the result is that demand has far outpaced supply.

Global demand for matcha has grown so quickly that farmers and traditional producers in Japan simply can’t keep up. This has led to a global matcha shortage and surging prices. And when demand skyrockets faster than supply can grow, the market fills the gap. Which is exactly what we’ve seen with matcha.

Matcha shortage

Matcha production can’t be scaled overnight. Tea plants must be shaded for weeks, hand-selected at peak season, and then slowly stone-ground into an ultra-fine powder. High-quality matcha is also almost exclusively produced in Japan.

Production of good quality is naturally limited because:

• Only young spring leaves can be used

• Grinding is slow (about 40g per hour)

• Farms are small, specialized, and often generational

When global demand surged, supply simply couldn’t meet it. So alternatives and low-quality matcha products flooded in.

What is “fake” matcha?

Unfortunately, not everything labeled as “matcha” today is actually true matcha.

Some products on the market:

• Use older tea leaves instead of young, shade-grown leaves

• Skip the shading process entirely

• Are machine-ground with high heat instead of stone-milled

• Are blended with other green teas or fillers 

• Are actually ground mulberry leaf powder

These powders may still be green, but they’re not the same. True matcha is vibrant, almost neon green, thanks to its high chlorophyll content. Lower-quality or imitation powders tend to look dull or even slightly brownish due to oxidation and poor processing. However, some of these fake products can still be bright green, so it’s important to stay aware and do your due diligence when purchasing matcha.

Where we’ve spotted fake matcha

Keep an eye out, and you may start to see things like large, bulk bags (around 400 grams) labeled “matcha”, for under $25. Some of these products are tricky because they look green, blend okay, and aren’t overwhelmingly bitter. But for that quantity and price point, it simply can’t be true, high-quality matcha.

To put it in perspective, authentic matcha, which is grown, shaded, hand-harvested, and stone-ground in Japan, requires immense time, care, and expertise. Producing even small quantities is slow and costly. So, when matcha is sold in unusually large volumes at unusually low prices, it’s a strong sign that something is off.

Products like this are often:

• Lower-grade green tea powders made from later harvest leaves

• Unshaded tea, which lacks the nutrient profile and vibrant color

• Are actually made with ground mulberry leaf instead

• Machine-ground with heat, resulting in oxidation and a coarser texture

• Or blends of green tea and fillers, designed to mimic the look of matcha

Some are technically green tea powders, but not true matcha.

Other common “fake matcha” products to watch out for:

Imitation matcha shows up in a few common forms:

• Pre-sweetened matcha mixes are often labeled as matcha but are mostly made of sugar, milk powder, and a small amount of green tea

• “Matcha-flavored” products. These may contain minimal real matcha, or none at all

• Capsules or instant drink sticks, which are frequently made with lower-grade tea extracts rather than stone-ground leaves

• Bright green powders with vague labeling

If it doesn’t clearly state origin, harvest, or processing, it’s probably not worth your time.  

Many of these products aren’t necessarily bad; they’re just not what they claim to be. They can still taste pleasant and be green, but they don’t deliver the same benefits or feeling, and they don’t respect a centuries-old culture.

Why fake matcha falls short

Fake matcha doesn’t just taste different; it won’t give you the same health benefits. Real matcha is uniquely rich in L-theanine (which provides a calm, focused energy), chlorophyll, and antioxidants like EGCG. These compounds are heavily influenced by how the tea is grown and processed. When those steps are skipped or altered, the benefits drop. That’s why imitation powders often taste bitter, less smooth, and have a flatter, more astringent taste.  

And more importantly, why they don’t deliver the same sustained, balanced energy that true matcha is known for.

How to know you’re buying the real deal

With so many options on the market, it’s important to stay aware of what you’re buying. Once you know what to look for, it’s pretty easy to spot the difference between authentic matcha and an imitation.

Look at the Color

Real matcha should be bright, vibrant green. Its beautiful hue is from the shading process, which boosts chlorophyll levels in the leaves. If the powder looks dull, yellow, or brownish, it’s a sign the leaves weren’t properly grown or processed.

Check the Origin

Authentic matcha comes from Japan, specifically from regions known for tea cultivation, such as Uji, Nishio, and Shizuoka. If the origin isn’t listed, or if it’s sourced elsewhere, it’s likely not true matcha.

Consider the Price

This is one of the biggest tells. Because true matcha production is labor-intensive and limited, it simply can’t be sold at extremely low prices, especially in large quantities.

A very cheap, oversized bag labeled as “matcha” is almost always a culinary-grade at best, or not matcha at all.

Pay Attention to Taste

High-quality matcha is:

• Smooth

• Slightly sweet

• Rich umami taste

Lower-quality powders tend to be:

• Bitter

• Chalky

• Flat or harsh

Notice How It Mixes

True matcha is stone-ground into an ultra-fine powder, which allows it to whisk smoothly into water. If your matcha clumps excessively, feels gritty, doesn’t fully incorporate… It’s likely not finely milled and not high-quality.

The Bottom Line

We love seeing matcha’s rise and people swapping out their morning cup of coffee for it. But less so to see the rise of imitations. As demand continues to grow and supply remains limited, more products will likely enter the market labeled as “matcha”. And they won’t meet the standard of true matcha. The key is knowing what you’re actually buying.

Resources:

Sokary S, Al-Asmakh M, Zakaria Z, Bawadi H. The therapeutic potential of matcha tea: A critical review on human and animal studies. Curr Res Food Sci. 2022 Nov 23;6:100396. doi: 10.1016/j.crfs.2022.11.015. PMID: 36582446; PMCID: PMC9792400.

Najman K, Sadowska A, Wolińska M, Starczewska K, Buczak K. The Content of Bioactive Compounds and Technological Properties of Matcha Green Tea and Its Application in the Design of Functional Beverages. Molecules. 2023 Oct 10;28(20):7018. doi: 10.3390/molecules28207018. PMID: 37894496; PMCID: PMC10609021.

Rusak G, Šola I, Vujčić Bok V. Matcha and Sencha green tea extracts with regard to their phenolics pattern and antioxidant and antidiabetic activity during in vitro digestion. J Food Sci Technol. 2021 Sep;58(9):3568-3578. doi: 10.1007/s13197-021-05086-5. Epub 2021 Apr 13. PMID: 34366474; PMCID: PMC8292538.