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6 Drink Recipes To Get Through The Matcha Shortage

It might be a rough time for matcha lovers if you’ve heard the news, but if you are unaware, Japan’s tea industry is experiencing a matcha shortage. This could be a In an effort to take the load off suppliers, and some wallets as prices rise with matcha scarcity, here are six fun drinks to make at home that might help scratch your matcha itch. Matcha is not gone forever, but while it’s taking a breather, it’s the perfect time to explore new recipes and tastes.

Why is there a matcha shortage?   

The shortage can be traced back to the fall of 2024, according to CBS News, and is happening due to how fast matcha is flying off the shelves, how difficult it is to produce it, and the pressing threat of a 24 percent tariff on Japanese imports. Camellia sinensis, the plant matcha is made from, is harvested by hand a few times a year but usually in late spring. International matcha drinkers prefer the powder from the first flush harvest when it is at its highest grade. Initially, this grade was used historically for tea ceremonies which happened on special occasions, but with everyday matcha use among consumers, farmers are trying to balance preserving traditional matcha practices while also meeting modern global demand. 

In an effort to take the load off suppliers, and some wallets as prices rise with matcha scarcity, here are six fun drinks to make at home that might help scratch your matcha itch. Matcha is not gone forever, but while it’s taking a breather, it’s the perfect time to explore new recipes and tastes.

1. Blueberry Latte

@alwaysasiamarie

The perfect summer coffee 🫐. Here is the recipe for this iced latte: Blueberry Syrup 🫐: • 2cups fresh or frozen blueberries • 1 cup water • 1/4 to 1/2 cup maple syrup, honey, or sugar of choice (cane or coconut sugar both work) • 2 tablespoons lemon juice, optional • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 🫐 Add the blueberries, water, and sweetener to a small pot. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice & vanilla extract and stir. Pour into a bottle with a pour spout or pump top. Store in the refrigerator. 🫐Pour syrup over ice. Add your milk of choice (I use Lactaid protein milk). Add 2 shots of espresso. Top with cold foam (optional). Feel free to add and a little cinnamon too to make it like a blueberry cobbler! #icedcoffee #latte #cofferecipe #coffee #coffeetiktok

♬ Charmed – Σtella & Redinho

Let’s start off strong with a caffeinated drink to curve your matcha cravings. This latte has two scoops of espresso which you can tweak at your leisure if that is just too much caffeine. TikTok user @alwaysasiamarie makes her blueberry latte with a homemade blueberry syrup made with two cups of blueberries (fresh or frozen), lemon juice, water, vanilla extract, and any sweetener like honey or maple syrup. She brings the ingredients to a medium-low simmer in a pot for 10 minutes before transferring it to a pump top (or an empty Torani syrup bottle) to store in the refrigerator.

After she preps the syrup, it’s time to assemble the latte. In a cup with ice, she drizzles some homemade blueberry syrup, her milk of choice, espresso, and the optional topping of cold foam making for a sweet caffeinated drink.

2. Iced Strawberry Green Tea Lemonade

TikTok user Kamryn is known for her adventurous hacks and fun drinks. The summer would not be complete without a fruity drink in hand, and Kamryn’s Starbucks order of an iced green tea lemonade with strawberry puree inspired her to test out the new experiment and share the results with her followers. Her favorite summer drink features strawberry green tea cold brew bags that she steeped for 20 minutes, 2 pumps of strawberry syrup, lemonade, and ice. If you’re a fan of fruity and refreshing drinks, this one is a must-try. 

3. Tyla’s Erewhon Smoothie

@dont.chase.your.d

Replying to @Zoë Isabel Kersey EREWHON X TYLA BLISS SMOOTHIE RECIPE🥭🌸🍋 4oz @MALK Organics coconut milk 4oz @Vita Coco Coconut Water 2T lemon juice 1 packed @Ultima Replenisher lemonade electrolytes 1 dropper Eidon Ionic Silica @Eidon Minerals 4oz frozen pineapple 4oz frozen mango 2T Vanilla Collagen @Vital Proteins 3oz hibiscus tea —— BLEND 1tsp pitaya powder 1 bag coconut whip @Zuma Valley ——- BLEND, spread on cup TADA #erewhon #tyla #erewhonsmoothie #smoothierecipe #recipe #blisssmoothie

♬ PUSH 2 START – Tyla

Bliss by Tyla is the new featured smoothie at the west coast store, and people have left their positive reviews in its wake. It features bright flavors of pineapple, mango and hibiscus tea, and is said to even taste like Skittles. Though the smoothie in-store is $22, the one you make at home does not have to be. TikTok user and former Erewhon employee @dont.chase.your.d spilled the tea with ingredients that could possibly recreate the trendy smoothie at half the price.

4. Blue Hawaiian Mocktail/Cocktail

@healthylittlepeach

Mocktails are here to stay! If you are looking for a fancy drink for summer, you ✨MUST✨give this Blue Hawaiian Mocktail a try. I am sticking with mocktails right now, but you can absolutely turn this into a cocktail using coconut rum or pineapple vodka. 🌺Blue Hawaiian Mocktail🍍 ▫️2 oz orange juice ▫️2 oz pineapple juice ▫️1 oz coconut water ▫️1-2 teaspoon Cream Of Coconut ( I used Coco Real) ▫️2 tsp blue curacao syrup (non alcoholic version) ▫️Lemon Lime soda ( I used a Lemon Lime Olipop. You can also use a lemon lime Zevia) ▫️Crushed ice ✨to make this a cocktail add an oz of pineapple vodka or coconut rum 1. Add everything except the lemon lime soda to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. 2. Pour over crushed ice and top with lemon lime soda and an orange twist and slice. #mocktailsummer #mocktails #cocktails #drinkrecipe #summersrinkideas #bluehawaiian #fancydrinks

♬ kaliii area codes – Kali

Though this is not considered a to-go drink, it still can be a contender for impressing your company. TikTok user @healthylittlepeach shakes orange and pineapple juice, coconut water, cream of coconut, blue curacao syrup, and lemon-lime soda, then pours the mixture over crushed ice and tops it off with an orange slice. This mocktail can be leveled up to a cocktail with an alcohol of your choosing.

5. Raspberry Hibiscus Pineapple Tea

@.dayswithabril

Primas I found raspberry leaf tea about 2 months ago and can’t believe I’m so late to this 😭 I am definitely someone who has pretty painful periods every month and most of the time nothing really works for me so the fact that this does has me 💅🏼✨ mixing it with the pineapple + hibiscus really helps mask the taste and you still get the period relief from it! Hope you primas get to try it ✨♥️ @Madhava Foods @Traditional Medicinals @Del Monte #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #fypageee #hibiscus #raspberryleaftea #periodrelief #icedtea #icedtearecipes #pineapplejuice #aguadejamaica #spanglish #us #ustiktok #latina #latinacontentcreators #latinacontentcreator #hibiscustea #refreshing #raspberryleafteadrink #raspberryleaftearecipe #pineapplejuicedrinks #hibiscusrecipe #hibiscusicedtea #hydrating #fundrinkideas

♬ Jazz masterpiece “As time goes by” covered by a Jazz violinist by profession(962408) – ricca

Another refreshing drink to add to your summer docket is this one. TikTok user @.dayswithabril creates fun fusion teas, some with helpful benefits for menstrual cramps, and affordable ingredients for all of her fanbase to enjoy. In this drink, she steeps hibiscus tea (which she doesn’t forget to rinse) and raspberry tea with a drizzle of agave. Then, over ice, she pours in the mixture, some pineapple juice and slices of lime. This drink could help elevate your tea game and experimenting.

6. Coconut milk + Olipop

Sonic might have helped to popularize the Dirty Dr. Pepper, but TikTok user Lauren shared her own spin on the concept with two new ingredients: coconut milk and Olipop. With the help of chopped strawberries, sweetened coconut milk, a Strawberry Vanilla Olipop, and some ice, you can have your own special edition drink at home. 

Faith Harper is a content writer for Howard University's Her Campus chapter, where she covers various topics including on-campus life, entertainment, culture, television, movies, and wellness.

In addition to her role at Her Campus, Faith serves as the supervising producer for the News Department at Spotlight Network at Howard University. In this capacity, she oversees team members within the news sector, guiding them in the process of identifying and crafting stories, managing pre and post-production tasks, and communicating necessary resources to the executive producer. Faith has also contributed as a writer for Cover2Cover Magazine, a publication affiliated with Howard University. She is presently a junior at Howard University, pursuing a major in Journalism with a minor in Criminology.

During her leisure time, Faith loves revisiting classic movies and TV shows from the early 1990s and 2000s. Additionally, she enjoys baking new recipes with her friends and eating at her favorite pizza spot in her home city, Chicago, Leona’s. As a former Girl Scout, she takes pride in her dedication to inspiring young girls, emphasizing that the world offers boundless opportunities and wrongs for them to right.