Specialty Matcha Podcast

In this episode of the Specialty Matcha Podcast, Ryan Ahn and Zongjun (Sam) Li delve into the complexities and confusions surrounding poetic matcha names. They discuss how these names can mislead consumers, the cultural context of matcha consumption, and the need for transparency in the industry. The conversation highlights the potential harm to consumers and farmers alike, as well as the importan...

In this conversation, Ryan and Nicole from Tea for Me Please discuss the evolution of matcha in the US, the impact of influencer culture on tea, and the importance of building relationships within the tea community. They explore the challenges of maintaining consumer interest in tea, the role of online communities, and the future trends in the matcha landscape, including the growing demand for tra...

In this episode of the Specialty Matcha Podcast, Ryan and Zongjun welcome Pau from Tea Nursery to discuss his journey as a tea farmer in Wazuka, the intricacies of tea farming, and the importance of cultivars. Paul shares insights from his experiences in Japan, detailing the seasonal challenges of tea farming and the significance of cultivar development. The conversation also touches on the role o...

In this episode of the Specialty Matcha Podcast, Ryan and Zongjun explore their recent experiences in Tokyo, focusing on the cultural significance of kissaten coffee shops and their influence on the specialty coffee movement, in particular at Blue Bottle. They discuss the parallels between coffee and matcha, emphasizing the importance of hospitality, intentionality, and consumer experience. The co...

In this episode, Ryan and Zongjun (Sam) Li share their experiences and insights from their recent trip to Uji, Izumo City, and Yame. They discuss the unique practices of tea farmers, the intricacies of tea processing, and the differences between artisanal and industrial matcha production. The conversation also touches on the impact of matcha's growing popularity, the challenges faced by small farm...

Ryan and Zongjun welcome Monique from Matcha Moments. Monique shares insights into the growing matcha culture in the Philippines, her Urasenke practice, educating consumers about high-quality matcha, and the importance of local cafes in promoting specialty matcha. Instagram: @matchamoments.ph

Ryan and Zongjun recorded this episode "in the field" during their tencha sourcing trip in Japan. In this episode they discuss differences between Uji and Yame as tea production areas. Some topics discussed are: honzu shading, ishi usu vs ball milling, hika aroma ("fire" or "roasted" aroma), hoshino yame matcha, and technology in tencha processing. If you're interested in the Fukuoka tea tourism m...

Ryan and Zongjun recorded this podcast episode during their sourcing trip to Japan and share there notes and experiences.

In this episode, cohosts Ryan and Zongjun record directly in Uji after visiting several family owned and operated multi-generational tea farms. We share our notes and reactions from everything we learned and experienced. Topics range from the distinction between Uji Matcha vs Matcha from Uji, tencha fertilization practices, and industry power dynamics.

Ryan and Zongjun recorded this episode in Japan and shared their experiences buying matcha retail in Kyoto and Uji. They dive into product positioning, how information is communicated to consumers, and compare the flavor profile of the cheapest and most expensive matcha they could find.

In this conversation, Ryan and Sam explore the evolving landscape of fresh-milled matcha, discussing its rise in popularity, the technology behind its milling, and the various consumer perspectives on its quality and flavor. They delve into critiques of fresh-milled matcha, the challenges of maintaining quality, and the future of specialty matcha as an inclusive industry that embraces innovation w...

Special thanks to future guest on the Specialty Matcha Podcast Pau from Tea Nursery, and former guests Ian from Yunomi and Cole from My Matcha Addiction. Marukyu Koyamaen's Announcement: https://www.marukyu-koyamaen.co.jp/information/apology-and-notice-regarding-to-quantity-limit-restriction-on-matcha-products-and-the-current-situation/ https://www.teanursery.com/ https://yunomi.life/ https://myma...

Ryan and Zongjun talk to friend and former colleague Dr. Yizhou Ma, assistant professor of food process engineering at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. In this episode they discuss matcha from a food science perspective including matcha milling, particle analysis, particle size distributions, morphology, suspensions, and foam formation. Check out Yizhou's podcast Hood in the Hood: https:/...

In this episode of the Specialty Matcha Podcast, Ryan and Sam interview Tom Greese, co-founder of Chaseki, a matcha-focused business in Thailand. Tom shares his journey from the hospitality industry to launching Chaseki, the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the evolution of the matcha market in Thailand. The conversation delves into the importance of educating consumers about mat...

In this episode Ryan and Zongjun had the opportunity to interview Bryan Ong, the Founder of Matsu Matcha based in Singapore. The conversation spanned across many topics including the current matcha landscape in Singapore, building a matcha brand, matcha evaluation techniques and even digital advertising strategies. https://www.instagram.com/matsu_matcha/ https://matsumatcha.com/

Apologies for the spotty audio quality, we had some technical difficulties when recording. You can find a full video version of this podcast with correct subtitles on Youtube. In this episode, we're excited to welcome Jev from MTCH, a contemporary matcha bar in Bangkok, Thailand. MTCH has played a pivotal role in our matcha journey on the Specialty Matcha Podcast and has been a major source of ins...

Ryan and Zongjun discuss the Specialty Matcha renaissance happening in Thailand. If you're visiting Thailand and would like a list of recommendations please shoot us an email at hello@sanko-cha.com

Welcome to Season 2 of the Specialty Matcha Podcast! We have a very special guest and friend Aislynn van Clief to talk about tea ceremony and Japanese philosophy. https://www.fudo-an.com/

We're officially 25 episodes in and we're calling that the end of Season 1! The entire team at Sanko matcha products reflects on season 1. Stay tuned for Season 2 starting next week! https://sankomatcha.com/

Ryan and Zongjun discuss the launch of Obsidian, the One-Dimensional Matcha Whicking Bowl as well as questions they have on their matcha learning journey.

In this episode, Ryan and Zongjun interview Cole from My Matcha Addiction (IG: @mymatchaaddiction). They discuss the growing matcha community on Instagram, the increase in matcha options, and Cole's journey in creating a matcha-themed Instagram page. The conversation covers the challenges of finding reliable matcha information, surprises from visiting Japanese matcha shops, and topics like mat...

Ryan and Zongjun interview Ricardo from My Japanese Green Tea. They discuss the mission behind the My Japanese Green Tea blog and podcast, which is to get more people interested in Japanese tea. They also talk about the rise of matcha and the transformation happening in the matcha industry, with more vendors offering single origin and single cultivar matcha. https://www.myjapanesegreentea.com/

Ryan and Zongjun talk to Ian Chun from Yunomi.life to discuss his journey in the tea industry and the work he does to support Japanese tea farmers. He shares the challenges faced by small-scale farmers and the impact of the global market on the tea industry. The conversation also touches on the quality and preferences of matcha, the shift towards ready-made drinks, and the decline of tea culture i...

Ryan and Zongjun discuss the concept of a specialty product. They explore the ambiguity of terms and the variance of answers when it comes to defining specialty products - with no surprises, there is no "right answer." They also discuss the evolution of specialty products and how they have transitioned from niche categories to mainstream products. This episode touches on the role of stor...

Ryan and Zongjun talk to John O'Connor, founder if Johnny Matcha. We discuss John's experience working in Major League Baseball, his path to founding Johnny Matcha, building direct relationships with Japanese farmers, and his philosophy of "know the source".