Elevated Matcha: Creating the Next Wave of Matcha Innovation

Matcha has moved beyond niche

Matcha is increasingly becoming a recognised and repeatable flavour rather than a short lived novelty.

According to Mintel, the share of European matcha tea launches increased from 2% in 2021/22 to 6% in 2025/26. In the UK, matcha represented 12% of tea and RTD tea launches between January and October 2025, up from 5% in 2023.

Foodservice has played an important role in this development. Cafés have introduced consumers to matcha through lattes, flavoured combinations and customisable drinks, making its distinctive flavour more approachable.

Now, retail is helping create scale by moving matcha into products that consumers can enjoy at home and across more everyday occasions.

The opportunity extends across sweet categories

Matcha is no longer developing only through beverages.

Mintel data shows that bakery accounted for 25% of global product launches featuring matcha between 2020 and 2025. Desserts and ice cream represented 14%, while chocolate confectionery accounted for 9%.

Familiar sweet formats give consumers new and accessible ways to experience matcha. Biscuits, cakes, chocolate, confectionery and ice cream can retain its distinctive identity while surrounding it with sweetness, indulgence and recognisable textures.

This is turning matcha from a fashionable drink into a broader flavour platform.

Distinctive, but sometimes challenging

The qualities that make matcha exciting can also make it polarising.

Its natural bitterness, grassy notes and earthy character create an authentic and premium flavour experience. But for less familiar consumers, those same qualities can present a barrier. Mintel reports that 42% of UK Gen Z consumers find matcha off putting.

The opportunity is not to disguise matcha. It is to balance its character and make it easier to enjoy.

Brands are already doing this through flavour pairings, familiar formats, indulgent elements and visual contrast.

Familiar flavours provide an easy entry point

Sweet and recognisable pairings can soften matcha’s bitterness while allowing its natural flavour and vibrant colour to remain distinctive.

Strawberry, raspberry, peach and cherry bring sweetness, acidity and strong colour contrast. Vanilla, cream and white chocolate create a softer and more rounded experience. Caramel, honey and banana add familiar warmth and indulgence.

Mintel has highlighted matcha paired with strawberry cream and raspberry as a way to balance bitterness while creating visual impact.

The strongest pairings do not hide matcha. They create balance around it.

Unexpected combinations create differentiation

As matcha becomes more familiar, there is also room to explore more distinctive directions.

Tropical flavours such as mango, passion fruit and coconut can bring brightness and freshness. Floral notes such as rose can add a more premium dimension, while almond, pistachio, sesame and other roasted flavours complement matcha’s natural earthiness.

These combinations allow brands to move beyond accessibility and create products with a more individual flavour story.

Familiar pairings broaden appeal. More unexpected combinations provide a reason to stand out.

Texture and colour complete the experience

Matcha already offers a recognisable flavour and naturally vibrant colour. Adding contrasting textures and colours turns it into a more complete multisensory experience.

Crisps, croquants, pearls and nuts can add visible crunch. Fudge and nougat introduce softer and chewier textures while balancing matcha with indulgent sweetness.

Colour can be equally important. Matcha green combined with white, pink, red, orange or purple creates striking contrast across coatings, inclusions and product cross sections.

The result is an experience that is not only enjoyable to eat, but visually distinctive too.

Make it your matcha

That is the thinking behind OV’s Elevated Matcha collection.

The collection brings together three matcha ingredients:

• Nougat Almond Matcha
• Matcha Crisp
• Matcha Pearls

These are complemented by Banana Fudge, Peach Fudge and Strawberry Pearls, demonstrating how matcha can be mixed, matched and reimagined through different flavours, colours and textures.

Combine Matcha Crisp with Strawberry Pearls for a bright, fruity and visually contrasting direction. Pair Matcha Pearls with Peach or Banana Fudge for a softer and more indulgent experience. Or bring Nougat Almond Matcha together with Matcha Crisp for a layered, nutty and premium concept.

Each combination can be explored across bakery, chocolate, confectionery, ice cream and beverages.

The opportunity is not simply to use matcha, but to elevate how consumers experience it.

Make it your matcha. Mix, match & create.