Starbucks Japan Adds Instant Matcha To Via Line

Matcha is extremely trendy right now, but despite the fact that the green tea is a powder, it tends to have a labor-intensive preparation involving bowls and whisks and lots of mixing. Now, however, Starbucks Japan is making it trivially easy to prepare with a new instant matcha in single-serving powder tubes.

According to Rocket News 24, the new Matcha Tea Essence is part of Starbucks' Via line of powdered instant coffee, but it has only been announced for sale in Japan. Instant matcha might seem less rarified and fancy than the kind prepared with tiny whisks, but it does make the drink more convenient, fast, and portable.

The Matcha Via packs are made with the same variety of powdered tea used in the matcha-flavored drinks made behind the counter at Starbucks stores in Japan. They can be prepared by mixing with water or with milk for an instant matcha latte. The Matcha Via boxes are expected to go on sale June 17 and to cost about $5.90 for a box of five individually packaged servings.