In the spring of 2026, a wave of “green awakening” from the East is unfolding on the shelves of China’s new retail.
From the eye-catching Tang and Song dynasty pastry series in bakery sections, to the hot-selling Tongren Matcha Rice Pudding on grocery platforms, and the viral “Little Sheep Matcha” from a popular tea shop on a major Shanghai shopping street on overseas social media… This spring, China’s culinary trends are blowing towards domestic matcha. Industry insiders believe the popularity of these matcha products started with their visual appeal and flavor, but is also riding on the trend of young people trusting local ingredients and favoring the aesthetic of “Guochao” (national trend).
Data shows that in 2025, the global matcha output reached 17,600 tons with a market size exceeding $4.7 billion. As the world’s largest matcha producer, China’s total matcha output surpassed 12,000 tons in 2025, accounting for nearly 70% of the global total.
The sudden surge in this matcha trend is by no means a mere fleeting taste sensation. Behind it lies the comprehensive maturation of the origin supply chain, the deep restructuring of new retail consumption scenarios, and an aesthetic shift driven by cultural confidence.
The rise of domestic matcha is, first and foremost, an industrial revolution from tea cultivation to deep processing. In the past, tea farmers relied on traditional roasting techniques, with labor costs for picking accounting for over half the price of fresh leaves. Matcha, however, uses machine-harvested tencha, which not only significantly reduces labor costs but also greatly increases the content of chlorophyll and amino acids in the leaves through shading.
Guizhou is a tea-producing region characterized by high altitude, low latitude, frequent cloud and mist, and pollution-free conditions, with an average altitude above 1,000 meters. The unique plateau ecology results in richer organic matter in the tea leaves, fewer natural pests (avoiding the use of insecticides/chemical pesticides), and naturally pure, pollution-free tea raw materials, with all tea gardens meeting EU standards. Tongren City in Guizhou is at the core of this industry. In 2018, Tongren City was awarded two national-level titles: “China’s Matcha Capital” and “China’s High-Quality Matcha Base.” A leading enterprise leads the nation in tea plant cultivation and matcha processing technology. In 2025, Tongren’s matcha output and sales reached 2,500 tons, exported to 53 countries and regions, ranking first in China and second globally.
However, output alone is not enough to trigger a consumer-side frenzy. The key turning point in this round of popularity lies in the deep involvement and value reshaping of the supply chain by new retail platforms.
In 2025, new retail enterprises established the nation’s first dedicated matcha sourcing base in Tongren, Guizhou, eliminating middlemen and achieving direct sourcing and supply from tea garden to shelf. This “user-centric thinking” completely reversed the R&D logic. The goal is to make matcha ‘alive,’ trendy, and going global. Matcha culture originated in the Song Dynasty, yet many mistakenly believe it comes from Japan. Returning “Chinese matcha” to the top requires actively exploring the diversified “matcha+” development model, enhancing product added value. Cooperation with new retail platforms is a crucial step for Guizhou matcha to move towards premiumization and branding.
It was also explained that the fast-moving consumer goods market changes too rapidly, with consumer preferences being unpredictable, making it difficult for matcha raw material enterprises to directly face consumers. New retail enterprises can quickly identify consumption trends, pushing R&D from experience-oriented to demand-oriented. This “user-centric thinking” will allow Guizhou matcha to stay a step ahead in market competition.
Beyond the hardcore supply chain and data, the change in consumer psychology is particularly noteworthy in this matcha wave. Nowadays, people are increasingly unsatisfied with mere functionality in their food and beverage consumption, instead beginning to pursue brand stories, emotional connections, and unique cultural experiences.
New retail enterprises keenly captured this signal. In their 2026 product upgrades, they systematically strengthened the geographical indication of “Guizhou Matcha” for the first time and incorporated Tang and Song aesthetics, recreating traditional pastries like “Ice Cup” and “Crispy Mountain.” In fact, young people are falling in love with “light Guofeng” (light national style). Guofeng naming and Tang-Song aesthetics are becoming trends in categories like milk tea and pastries. When purchasing a matcha cake, consumers gain
