This is Roundtable.
Matcha is everywhere right now.
Are you a fan?
It's in your lattes, your cakes, your bottles, you name it.
But here's something that you may not have known: China makes a large percentage of the world's supply.
And as a result, farmers are ditching old crops, factories can't keep up, and exports are exploding.
But is this just another social media fad, or is matcha here to stay?
We'll dig into the green dust fueling a billion-dollar obsession.
Coming to you live from our studios in Beijing, this is Roundtable.
I'm Steve Hatherly.
Thank you so much for being with us today.
And for the show, I'm with Yuxian and Yuxian.
First up...
From matcha lattes and creamy soft serve to bottled drinks, desserts, and even confectionery,
matcha has become one of the hottest and most versatile flavors in China's booming tea drink market.
Behind the trend lies a fast-growing, ambitious industry.
Farmers, they are changing the game.
They're switching traditional crops to shade-grown tea leaves.
Factories, too.
They're racing to fill orders, both domestic and international.