Is hojicha the next matcha? The Japanese tea creeping onto menus
Summary
Hojicha is a Japanese green tea that is gaining popularity in the UK, appearing on more café menus mainly as lattes and desserts. Its sales are growing quickly, similar to how matcha tea became popular a few years ago, while matcha itself continues to have a strong and growing market.Key Facts
- Hojicha is made by roasting green tea leaves at high temperatures, giving it a nutty flavor and low bitterness.
- It has less caffeine than regular green tea and is traditionally served plain without milk or sugar.
- UK cafés are adding hojicha lattes, desserts, and ice cream to their menus, increasing its presence.
- Sales of iced hojicha lattes at Jenki cafés in London rose by 55% from January to April compared to the previous year.
- The company How Matcha reports hojicha latte sales have grown significantly and now represent about 20% of its matcha latte sales.
- Matcha tea remains very popular in the UK, with supermarket sales growing over four times in one year, reaching nearly £9 million.
- Some consumers feel matcha drinks in cafés often have too many added flavors, reducing the taste of the tea itself.
- Hojicha is seen as moving from a niche drink to a more mainstream choice, similar to earlier matcha trends.
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