What is matcha?
Matcha is powdered green tea made from shade-grown Camellia sinensis leaves. About three to four weeks before harvest, the plants are covered to block sunlight. This slows growth, forces more chlorophyll production, and creates the deep green colour and intense umami that matcha is known for. After harvest, the leaves are steamed, dried, and stone-ground into a fine powder.
Because you're consuming the whole leaf as powder rather than steeping and discarding it, matcha delivers a more concentrated hit of everything in the leaf — flavour, caffeine, and antioxidants. A small bowl of matcha is essentially a full serving of green tea, consumed whole.
Matcha and New Zealand's café culture
New Zealand café culture picked up matcha early. The flat white generation, attentive to temperature, particular about method, found a natural home for the matcha latte. Order one in Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch and you'll find a barista who knows what they're doing.
The same attention to craft applies at home. T2's matcha range covers everyday drinking through to ceremonial grade, and the tools to match. The right whisk, the right bowl, and the right powder make a noticeable difference, matcha prepared properly is unlike anything you'll get from a spoon and a mug.
How to make matcha
Traditional preparation (bowl): Add 1 scoop of matcha to a warm, dry matcha bowl (chawan). A Hibi Spouted Matcha Bowl is designed for this, with the spout making it easy to pour into a cup if you want to. Use a Matcha Bamboo Scoop (chashaku) for accurate measuring. Add 60ml (2fl oz) of water at 75°C/167°F and whisk in a W-shape using a T2 Premium or Everyday Matcha Whisk (chasen) until the surface is frothy. Drink immediately. Full step-by-step in T2's traditional matcha guide.
Matcha latte: Whisk 1–2 teaspoons of everyday matcha with a small amount of hot water to form a smooth paste. Add steamed or cold milk. Oat milk and whole milk both work well. Sweeten with honey or maple syrup if you like. See the full matcha latte guide.
Iced matcha: Prepare as per the latte method, then pour over a glass of ice. One of the best summer drinks you can make at home. Full recipe in T2's iced matcha latte guide.
On the go: No whisk, no problem. The T2 Matcha Flask are designed for shaking up matcha without any equipment. Add your matcha and milk, shake, and you're done.
Avoiding lumps: Sift matcha before whisking. Form a paste with a small amount of water first, then add the rest. A bamboo chasen gives a far better result than a spoon or metal whisk every time.
The matcha toolkit
Good matcha starts with good powder. But the right tools make the ritual. Here's what each piece does:
Matcha whisk (chasen): The most important tool. The T2 Premium Matcha Whisk has more tines and produces a finer foam; the Everyday Whisk is a solid everyday option. Either is a significant upgrade over any kitchen whisk.
Matcha bowl (chawan): The Hibi Spouted Matcha Bowls are wide enough to whisk in comfortably and have a spout for pouring. Available in Pistachio and Beige, with a matching Whisk Holder to rest the chasen after use.
Bamboo scoop: A Matcha Bamboo Scoop measures a consistent 1g of matcha per scoop — useful when you're working with ceremonial-grade powder where the ratio matters.
Matcha flask: The T2 Matcha Flasks (available in Green, Pink, Blue, and Black) let you shake up a matcha anywhere — no bowl, no whisk required. Good for weekday mornings.
Once the toolkit is sorted, T2's matcha powder range covers everything from ceremonial-grade Horai matcha to flavoured everyday blends such Yuzu, Brown Sugar, White Chocolate, Blood Orange, and more.
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