Matcha, an increasingly popular ingredient in China’s catering market in recent years, has gained widespread favor among consumers. Recently, Zhuhai’s first Matcha Festival was held, bringing together more than 40 well-known matcha brands from across the country. A wide variety of signature matcha dishes attracted large crowds of locals and tourists.

At the event, visitors enjoyed soft and sweet matcha pastries, smooth matcha ice cream, aromatic matcha coffee, and light matcha snacks. Local Zhuhai brands offered matcha products with varying levels of bitterness, delighting enthusiasts who said that the more bitter the matcha, the better it tastes. Brands from outside the city also participated in the festival, presenting traditionally prepared hand-whisked matcha and desserts that proved highly popular, with sales far exceeding expectations. Brand representatives noted the enthusiastic response from Zhuhai consumers and said they are considering opening local branches.

Matcha originated in China during the Wei and Jin dynasties. By the Song dynasty, the techniques of whisked tea (dian cha) and tea art (cha bai xi) had already been developed. Today, the world’s largest single matcha refining facility is located in Tongren, Guizhou Province, producing 1,200 tons of matcha annually for export to more than 40 countries and regions worldwide.