What began as a centuries-old ceremonial drink in Japan has now been reimagined into a global cultural marker of wellness, calm, and aesthetic living. In India, matcha isn’t just being sipped; it’s being styled, storied, and strategically placed in reels, retail shelves, and brand campaigns.
Today, it’s far more than powdered green tea. It’s a mood board, a marketing tool, and a quiet but clear signal of slowness. From the colour of your latte to the tint of your skincare packaging, matcha has become shorthand for a lifestyle that is curated, clean, and effortlessly cool.
The rise of the 'clean girl' aesthetic
In the age of soft glam and minimalist self-care, matcha has become synonymous with the 'clean girl' aesthetic, a trend driven by skincare, white tanks, slick buns, and green smoothies. Scroll through Instagram or Pinterest, and you're likely to stumble upon soothing 'matcha pour shots', latte art in pale green, or slow, calming brewing videos.
The pastel green aesthetic: Why colour matters
There’s something about that pastel green. It’s not just a flavour; it’s a feeling. The soft, creamy tone of matcha has become a defining visual cue across aesthetic subcultures: from bridal palettes to pistachio-hued desserts and Pinterest mood boards. First it showed up in lehengas, and now it’s in your cup.
Green is the new black coffee
Influencers and cafes are tapping into this vibe. The green drink doesn’t just pop visually on Reels; it outperforms more traditional brown coffees. Cafes such as Starbucks, Blue Tokai, and Third Wave Coffee have rolled out matcha options, not just as beverages but as content magnets.
Beauty, skincare & branding
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Matcha’s wellness credentials have been fully absorbed by the beauty and personal care industry. Brands like Quench, Nykaa Skin and minimalist D2C players now offer matcha-based face masks, scrubs, and serums, that tout their antioxidant and calming properties.
Even when it isn’t an ingredient, matcha’s signature green shade is showing up in the packaging design. Just as rose gold and lavender haze were once popular, matcha green has now become a visual language.
Indian audience: Mixed emotions
While matcha is growing in popularity, the Indian response is far from unanimous. Some embrace it as a stylish alternative to chai or coffee, while others view it as pretentious. One viral tweet read, "Matcha tastes like grass but makes it 400 rupees." Another user quipped, *"Every influencer has suddenly forgotten adrak wali chai."
But for many Gen Z urbanites, matcha is aspirational – akin to kombucha or avocado toast a few years ago. It signals being "in the know" and, more crucially, looking like it.
As one post put it, "I don’t drink matcha for the taste. I drink it for the aesthetic."
How India’s green tea obsession is turning premium
Matcha’s rise in India mirrors a broader shift: our green tea obsession is turning premium. Once a niche wellness choice, matcha has now gone mainstream, not just as a drink but as a cultural marker of refined taste, aesthetic living, and soft luxury. As Indian consumers become more discerning and brand-conscious, matcha’s ceremonial roots are being reinterpreted through a modern, Instagram-friendly lens.
Celebrity matcha moments
Celebrities are also fuelling the matcha wave.
Bree Matcha, launched by Bollywood actor Sanya Malhotra, is an India-first matcha brand that combines premium Japanese matcha with a high-aesthetic brand identity. The product has gained traction via Instagram-heavy campaigns and cafe partnerships.
Chamberlain Coffee, founded by YouTuber Emma Chamberlain in the US, started with coffee but has since expanded to include ceremonial-grade matcha powders and ready-to-drink options.
Kroma Wellness, a California-based functional wellness brand founded by Lisa Odenweller, has also embraced matcha in its luxe nutrition kits. The brand is backed by a mix of micro-investors and celebrities, including Gwyneth Paltrow (actor and wellness entrepreneur) and Amy Schumer (comedian and actor).
While not matcha-exclusive, Kroma’s inclusion of ceremonial-grade matcha underscores its growing status as a premium wellness essential.
So, what’s next?
So is matcha here to stay? Or just passing through on a Pinterest board near you?
Either way, it’s made one thing clear: sometimes, a drink isn’t just a drink—it’s a filter, a flex, and a full-blown aesthetic.
But for now, matcha fits the feed, and in the age of aesthetic consumption, that’s often enough.
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