Specialty Matcha Podcast

Apologies for the spotty audio quality, we had some technical difficulties when recording. You can find a full video version of this podcast with correct subtitles on Youtube. In this episode, we're excited to welcome Jev from MTCH, a contemporary matcha bar in Bangkok, Thailand. MTCH has played a pivotal role in our matcha journey on the Specialty Matcha Podcast and has been a major source of inspiration for our broader company, Sanko Matcha Products.

Ryan and Zongjun discuss the Specialty Matcha renaissance happening in Thailand. If you're visiting Thailand and would like a list of recommendations please shoot us an email at [email protected]

Welcome to Season 2 of the Specialty Matcha Podcast! We have a very special guest and friend Aislynn van Clief to talk about tea ceremony and Japanese philosophy. https://www.fudo-an.com/

We're officially 25 episodes in and we're calling that the end of Season 1! The entire team at Sanko matcha products reflects on season 1. Stay tuned for Season 2 starting next week! https://sankomatcha.com/

Ryan and Zongjun discuss the launch of Obsidian, the One-Dimensional Matcha Whicking Bowl as well as questions they have on their matcha learning journey.

In this episode, Ryan and Zongjun interview Cole from My Matcha Addiction (IG: @mymatchaaddiction). They discuss the growing matcha community on Instagram, the increase in matcha options, and Cole's journey in creating a matcha-themed Instagram page. The conversation covers the challenges of finding reliable matcha information, surprises from visiting Japanese matcha shops, and topics like matcha cultivation, production, freshness, and the differences between traditional and modern matcha. They also explore experiences with matcha in Japan and the U.S., single origin and single cultivar preferences, and industry challenges and opportunities, including new milling technologies and the need for standardized vocabulary and consumer education.

Ryan and Zongjun interview Ricardo from My Japanese Green Tea. They discuss the mission behind the My Japanese Green Tea blog and podcast, which is to get more people interested in Japanese tea. They also talk about the rise of matcha and the transformation happening in the matcha industry, with more vendors offering single origin and single cultivar matcha. https://www.myjapanesegreentea.com/

Ryan and Zongjun talk to Ian Chun from Yunomi.life to discuss his journey in the tea industry and the work he does to support Japanese tea farmers. He shares the challenges faced by small-scale farmers and the impact of the global market on the tea industry. The conversation also touches on the quality and preferences of matcha, the shift towards ready-made drinks, and the decline of tea culture in Japan.

Ryan and Zongjun discuss the concept of a specialty product. They explore the ambiguity of terms and the variance of answers when it comes to defining specialty products - with no surprises, there is no "right answer." They also discuss the evolution of specialty products and how they have transitioned from niche categories to mainstream products. This episode touches on the role of storytelling, sustainability, and direct communication between farmers and consumers in the specialty product movement.

Ryan and Zongjun talk to John O'Connor, founder if Johnny Matcha. We discuss John's experience working in Major League Baseball, his path to founding Johnny Matcha, building direct relationships with Japanese farmers, and his philosophy of "know the source".