The Matcha Yaad’s Chocolate and Gokou Ceremonial Matchas offer two ways into Japanese tea, from a cocoa-infused blend to pure, single-cultivar matcha grown in Uji, Kyoto.
The Matcha Yaad combines founder Monique’s Jamaican roots with her training in Japan, offering flavoured matchas alongside a single-cultivar ceremonial tea from Uji. Chocolate, peach and strawberry provide an approachable introduction, while Gokou keeps the focus on matchas traditional character.
T he Matcha Yaad is bringing Caribbean spice to Japanese tea with a range of flavoured and ceremonial matchas designed to make the famously grassy green tea easier to love.
The brand’s story begins with a near-miss. Founder Monique first tried matcha as a university student in Jamaica more than a decade ago and very nearly spat it out. Years later, after coffee proved too much for her, she gave it another chance. This time it came with a better-quality powder, properly hot water and a dose of Jamaican spice, and it stuck. Monique went on to launch Jamaica’s first matcha company, then left her job and moved to Japan for almost two years. There, she visited the farms and factories behind the powder and trained in tea ceremony under a sensei from Urasenke, one of the country’s leading schools.
Now based in the UK, The Matcha Yaad pairs that grounding in Japanese tradition with the bold flavours of the Caribbean. Its flavoured range, which includes chocolate, peach, and strawberry, is unusual in the UK market. Rather than blending in syrups or sweeteners, the brand infuses flavour directly into the leaf so the powder keeps its colour and character. Water activates the flavour, which sits alongside the matcha rather than covering it up. There is no added sugar, dairy, or preservatives.
The Chocolate Matcha is the indulgent option of the range. It brings a rich cocoa note to the tea, making it an easy way in for anyone still unsure about matcha. Purists should head straight for the Gokou Ceremonial Matcha, made from a single cultivar grown in Uji, Kyoto. It is shade-grown and stone-ground, with a vivid emerald colour, a creamy texture and a deep umami finish, and it contains nothing but Japanese matcha.
Whisk either into hot water for a traditional bowl, or pour over milk and ice for a latte. For something more adventurous, try the brand’s chocolate lemonade. It was created by accident and is stranger than it sounds, in the best possible way.
The brand also makes a multi-award-winning Ginger Refresher, a ready-to-drink blend of matcha, ginger, lime and cayenne.
EDITOR’S NOTE
The Matcha Yaad’s appeal lies in the choice it offers: a playful introduction for the matcha-curious and a traditional option for those already devoted to the tea. Monique’s experience in Japan gives her flavour experiments a thoughtful foundation. Chocolate Matcha is an inviting starting point, while Gokou puts the leaf itself centre stage. It is an approach that makes room for discovery without losing sight of the traditions behind the bowl.
