The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of Spoon University.
Konijntje. Dutch for “little bunny” and the inspiration for the name, Miffy, this little bunny has truly conquered the world at large. An attraction to both children and adults, it appears that a Miffy craze has struck much of Asia and America. From crochet plushies depicting this character in all sorts of costumes to glowing Miffy lamps, Miffy has become a worldwide sensation. And now, it seems that this little bunny has branched out in a new direction– into the world of matcha.
Junbi: Prepare Daringly
With locations from Westwood to Waikiki, this matcha franchise claims to specialize in matcha – rich in antioxidants from chlorophyll-laden green tea plants. With the motto “Prepare Daringly,” Junbi aims to promote forward momentum – taking on challenges, and achieving goals.
Early September, Junbi announced via Instagram a collaboration with celebrated character Miffy, for a collection of Miffy themed orange creamsicle drinks. Launched at the Westwood location on September 28th, Jubi offered the first twenty customers with a free drink and a JunbixMiffy collaboration enamel pin. Limited-time JunbixMiffy merchandise was sold as well; including t-shirts, totes, cups, and ceremonial grade matcha tins.
The Event
Initially, I found out about this pop up event from my Instagram feed. The adorable limited-time miffy merch and drinks intrigued me, and with its convenient location in Westwood, was a walkable distance from campus. With this event’s grand opening at 11:30 am, my roommates and I made the trek from our dorm to Junbi at around 8:30 am, figuring we could try to score a free drink as one of the first twenty people in line. However, the line was already past that point when we arrived. While we were waiting, Miffy came out to greet her fans and take photos. In total, the wait was around four hours, and during that time we were given various freebies; JunbixMiffy keychains, sticker sheets, and cookies. Unfortunately, by the time we made it inside, Miffy was on a break, so we couldn’t take photos with her. However, with the merch secured, we scurried back to our dorm and marveled at the line, which had grown and curved around the block, a four to five hour wait. And by the end of the event which spanned the rest of the day, all of the limited edition merchandise had been sold out.
The Drink
The JunbixMiffy collaboration offered a set menu of Miffy themed drinks; Miffy’s Orange Creamsicle Matcha Latte, Melanie’s Creamsicle Coffee Latte, Snuffy’s Orange Creamsicle, and Boris’ Blended Orange Creamsicle. In honor of the event’s namesake, I opted for the Miffy themed matcha drink. With notes of vanilla, orange, and matcha, this drink pleasantly surprised me; it was balanced, not too sweet, and the matcha’s flavor was not overpowered by the rest of the drink.
Miffy and Matcha: The Experience
Overall, our experience at the JunbixMiffy event was positive; however, the long wait time, especially considering we had been towards the front of the line, reflected some disorganization. But given the large turnout, it seems that this pop-up experienced much unexpected traction, meaning adjustments needed to be made in order for the event to run efficiently.
This little bunny has truly made her way across the globe and into the hearts of fans worldwide. This time, Miffy has settled, if only for a short while, into the heart of Westwood, catering to both the Miffy and matcha fans of LA.