In partnership with
Hello there - it’s good to see you again! 👋🏽
Welcome back to Thrivency’s weekly newsletter.
ICYMI: Last week I sent out a lineup of 31 wellness events happening now through the end of February. Check that out here if you’re late to the game!
As for this week, we’re diving back in to a new-ish content series, Origins of Wellness. Every third Thursday of the month, I’ll share a bit of research and cultural analysis on the hottest wellness trends of today.
The results of last month’s poll are in… and honestly I’m not all that surprised! Most respondents wanted to learn more about matcha, the HOTTEST drink to hit cafe menus around the globe. 🔥
Some consume this tea drink plain, while others top it with syrups and foams. But I’m curious - how did we get here? And what are the surprising factors that contributed to its meteoric rise over the past couple years?
Before you dive in to the teaaa, a quick note from our sponsor who knows a thing or two about the star of today’s newsletter ⤵️
The New Year Ritual That Sets the Tone for Energy and Glow ✨
January calls for rituals that actually make you feel amazing—and Pique’s Sun Goddess Matcha is mine. It delivers clean, focused energy with zero jitters, supports glowing skin and gentle detox, and feels deeply grounding. Smooth, ceremonial-grade, and crave-worthy, it’s the easiest way to start your day clear, energized, and glowing from the inside out.
Matcha
Area of origin: China 🇨🇳 (Surprise! Matcha made its way to Japan a few centuries later)
Date of origin: 7th – 10th centuries during the Tang Dynasty
Original use: Matcha was quite a simple drink in its early days. According to Matchaful, people of the Tang Dynasty use to pack steamed green tea leaves into large bricks and break off small pieces that were then pulverized and mixed with hot water and salt.
A Japanese Buddhist monk who studied in China was credited with bringing the tea seeds back to his home country, where they were planted in Kyoto and the Uji region. Matcha.com says that the method of slowly and mindfully whisking the tea powder into water was created some time before that, but it became popular among Japanese monks who favored the drink’s benefits: calmness and alertness.
It wasn’t until the 1500s that a formal tea ceremony, or Chadō/Sadō, was created involving the consumption of matcha. And from there, three distinct grades of matcha emerged:
Ceremonial Grade Matcha: Just as it sounds, the highest-quality leaves are shaded from sunlight and then reserved for drinking during special occasions. This grade is not meant to be consumed with extra ingredients.
Daily/Traditional Grade Matcha: A lower price point than ceremonial, known to have a stronger flavor and is often used for matcha lattes and other mixed drinks.
Culinary Grade Matcha: Made from leaves exposed to sunlight for longer and tends to have a grittier texture, making it better for cooking and baking.
So why did matcha suddenly appear on menus everywhere? Matcha was historically a luxury enjoyed by the elite, but then became popularized throughout Japan by the 20th century. What sent it into the stratosphere was global economic policy, international travel and, well… Instagram!
The Japanese yen was weak post-pandemic due to rising national debt, dropping to a 38 year low compared to the U.S. dollar. This economic condition paired with the western world’s affinity for Japanese culture made the country a very popular, and relatively low-cost, destination for travel over the past few years. The Japan Times reported a 70% year-over-year increase in tourism in 2024.
Although matcha first debuted on Starbucks menus back in 2006, it wasn’t until this recent travel boom that this coffee alternative started showing up in cafes everywhere. Not only does the tea provide less of a jittery spike for some, it’s rich in antioxidants and vitamins K and C. The modern recipes are a far cry from the original blends though… I’m looking at you cookie dough matcha latte!
Now matcha is so popular, that it caused a global shortage of Japanese tea leaves last year. 🤯
If you made it this far, then you deserve to hear my hot take. 🔥 While matcha will live on for generations as a beloved Japanese tradition, I think that American audiences are preparing to move on to their next new trend. We’re fickle consumers - and I even pulled the Google search data to support this theory.
I think matcha may have hit a peak in 2025 and will face competition from another health-conscious drink some time in late 2026. I asked social followers to share their thoughts, and so far they’ve commented these predictions: “sparkling mocktails,” “okra water,” and “pomegranate as the star ingredient.”
That’s your history lesson for today! What do you think - is matcha on its way out or is this trend here to stay?
While you ponder, make sure to cast your vote for the next topic of Origins of Wellness.
What topic should I research next?
See you back here next week for a very exciting Q&A and our final newsletter for the month of January!
Thrivency quick links:
Explore our Articles + Insights or Newsletter Archive to dive into original content exploring the intersection of wellness and cultural identity
In search of a new care team? Browse our new Directory of 100+ BIPOC-owned or led wellness brands and businesses
Interested in partnership opportunities? Email us at [email protected]