Austin pop-up fuels matcha craze
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Mori Matcha co-owner Tiffany Nguyen strains matcha, and the final result in a Mori Matcha cup. Photos: Courtesy of Seoyeon Koo
Editor's note: This story was written by University of Texas student Trinity Orosco for Axios Austin.
An Austin matcha pop-up is drawing lines that stretch down the sidewalk, tapping into a fast-growing U.S. market for the Japanese green tea.
Why it matters: The surge is creating business opportunities for local entrepreneurs — and supply challenges — as demand for premium matcha accelerates nationwide.
Driving the news: Austin's Mori Matcha launched as a pop-up in September and has quickly become one of the city's buzziest stops.
- Co-owner Tiffany Nguyen says the business has been years in the making, rooted in her upbringing and formal training in Japan.
What they're saying: "Growing up in an Asian household, I was always surrounded by tea, and my love for matcha grew in high school before it became a trend," Nguyen said.
- "My deeper knowledge developed when I was able to travel to Japan and take courses on how to properly prepare matcha and learn about the entire production process."
Zoom out: Due to the rising matcha demand, tea farmers have struggled to keep pace, triggering periodic shortages. Meanwhile, social media continues to amplify the global surge, with influencers posting brewing tutorials, reviews and recipes.
- The U.S. matcha market generated $164 million in 2024 and could reach $340 million by 2033, according to market research firm Grand View Research.
The pop-up intrigue: Nguyen said she fell into pop-ups naturally, as it offered a low-risk way to test products and grow a community.
- "Because quality is always our top priority over quantity, it makes committing to long-term concepts more challenging," Nguyen said. "With pop-ups, if we don't have the supply, we don't pop up."
How it works: Nguyen and her team craft every syrup in-house using five ingredients or fewer. Each recipe is organic and gluten-free.
- Prep begins the night before. Mornings start with supply runs for ice and setup.
- After serving customers, the team tackles cleanup, then returns to the kitchen to prepare for the next event.
- "It is something I will never fully fathom," Nguyen says. "I am beyond grateful that people are willing to show up for us, and I love seeing the appreciation for the matcha ritual itself."
What's next: Mori Matcha will pop up at TruFusion on Saturday 8:15am-1:30pm.
- Customers can find upcoming events in Mori Matcha's Instagram bio.
The bottom line: "Truthfully, we are just enjoying the ride," Nguyen said.
- "If this were to end tomorrow, I would still be incredibly grateful for the moments and community Mori has created."