Every culture has its morning cup. Matcha whisked in a chawan, a practice with roots in Tang Dynasty China that Japan refined into ceremony. Assam black tea, the muscular foundation of the British breakfast tradition since the 19th century. Yerba mate circulated from a shared gourd across South America for centuries before the rest of the world caught on. T2's energy collection draws from all of them.
The ingredients behind T2's energy collection
Matcha
Matcha is shade-grown green tea, stone-ground into a fine powder. The shade-growing process — covering the plants for three to four weeks before harvest, increases chlorophyll production and concentrates the leaf's amino acid content, including L-theanine. Unlike steeped tea where the leaf is discarded, matcha involves consuming the whole ground leaf, which means the caffeine and L-theanine are consumed together. L-theanine is an amino acid found almost exclusively in the tea plant, and the combination of caffeine and L-theanine is specific to tea, particularly matcha. The tradition of whisked powdered tea dates to the Tang Dynasty in China and was adopted and developed into the Japanese tea ceremony during the Song Dynasty (960 to 1279 CE). T2's matcha range spans traditional ceremonial powder through to modern interpretations like Yuzu, Blood Orange, Brown Sugar, and White Chocolate. Explore the full matcha collection.
Yerba mate
Yerba mate is not from the Camellia sinensis plant, it is made from the leaves of Ilex paraguariensis, a tree native to subtropical South America. It has been consumed for centuries by the Guaraní people of what is now Paraguay, Argentina, and southern Brazil, traditionally prepared in a hollowed gourd and sipped through a metal straw called a bombilla. Yerba mate contains caffeine alongside theobromine and theophylline, two other naturally occurring alkaloids also found in cacao and tea respectively. Its flavour is savoury, grassy, and astringent. T2 uses yerba mate in Wakey Wakey.
Guarana
Guarana is a climbing plant native to the Amazon basin, particularly Venezuela and northern Brazil, where its seeds have been used by indigenous Amazonian peoples including the Sateré-Mawé for centuries. The seeds contain a high concentration of caffeine, higher per gram than coffee beans alongside theobromine and tannins. In flavour, guarana is earthy, woody, and lightly bitter. T2 uses guarana alongside yerba mate in Wakey Wakey, where it contributes to the blend's distinctive character.
FAQ
What tea has the most caffeine?
Among T2's energy range, matcha typically contains the most caffeine per serving because you consume the whole ground leaf rather than an infusion. A standard matcha serving contains roughly 60 to 70mg of caffeine, though this varies depending on the amount used. Assam and breakfast black teas contain approximately 40 to 70mg per cup. Green tea sits lower, at around 20 to 45mg. Yerba mate is variable but comparable to black tea.
Does matcha give you more sustained energy than coffee?
Matcha contains both caffeine and L-theanine, an amino acid found almost exclusively in the tea plant and concentrated further by the shade-growing process used in matcha production. L-theanine is widely believed to slow the absorption of caffeine, producing a more gradual release rather than the sharper spike associated with coffee.
What is yerba mate and how does it differ from tea?
Yerba mate is made from Ilex paraguariensis, a South American tree, rather than Camellia sinensis. It has been consumed for centuries across Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil, traditionally prepared in a gourd and sipped through a metal straw (bombilla). It contains caffeine alongside two other naturally occurring alkaloids — theobromine and theophylline, which are also found in cacao and conventional tea respectively. Its flavour is savoury, grassy, and astringent, and it features in T2's Wakey Wakey alongside guarana.
What is guarana and why is it in Wakey Wakey?
Guarana is a plant native to the Amazon basin, with seeds that contain a naturally high concentration of caffeine. It has been used by indigenous Amazonian peoples for centuries. T2 uses it in Wakey Wakey alongside yerba mate. In flavour it is earthy, woody, and lightly bitter, contributing to the blend's distinct earthy base note.
Does green tea have caffeine?
Yes. Green tea contains caffeine, though less than black tea. Japanese Sencha contains approximately 20 to 30mg of caffeine per cup, compared to 40 to 70mg in a standard black tea. Gen Mai Cha (green tea blended with roasted rice) has a slightly lower caffeine content than plain sencha, as the rice dilutes the leaf ratio. If you want caffeinated tea with a lighter flavour than black tea, Japanese Sencha or Lung Ching Classic are the best options in T2's energy range.
