Matcha tea is experiencing a surge in popularity in the U.S. right now. So much so that a shortage, due to the specialized stone grinders being unable to grind it quickly enough to meet global demand, is causing the price to spike even further.
For Masanori Den Shirakata, the third-generation owner of Den’s Tea in Torrance, the frothy, alluringly green, caffeinated beverage goes back 100 years, long before it turned into a trend.
At a random refrigerated warehouse, a couple of blocks away from Torrance’s Monkish and Smog City breweries, Den takes us through a matcha “cupping”, a quality-tasting experience, starting from “Organic Premium Restaurant” matcha to the most expensive “Organic Ceremonial” grade.
The latter goes for $126 for a half-pound on Den's website. The more premium ingredients tend to be more buttery, less bitter, and more vibrantly green than the cheaper culinary ingredients used more for desserts or sweetened drinks.
The Shirakata family's tea journey began over 102 years ago. What started as a local tea business has now evolved into a global matcha enterprise, blending traditional Japanese tea culture with the modern American market.
Den Shirakata represents the third generation of tea merchants, carrying forward a tradition that began when his grandfather first recognized the potential of Shizuoka, Japan, as a top-tier tea-producing region. The business now sources tea from other areas too, now.