2025 has been the year of matcha, the green tea latte originating in Japan has taken the food industry by storm. Matcha is powdered green tea, when mixed with hot water and milk, creates a creamy, smooth latte. Many small businesses have been participating in the matcha craze by promoting new creations including the Japanese delicacy; matcha cannolis, matcha cinnamon rolls, and even matcha martinis. It’s considered a cleaner alternative to coffee, making its health benefits attractive to consumers. However, its earthy flavor pairs deliciously with a wide range of flavor profiles— citrus, nutty, fruity, or other sweet flavors like vanilla or white chocolate.

I asked our PR and growth experts: How can microtrends assist in creating a lasting, loyal consumer base for local food and beverage companies? How can startup food and beverages companies participate in the matcha trend without raising ethical concerns and diminishing authenticity?

Here are the experts' insights:

• Adapt food trends only if they are a natural match
• Leverage niche trends that connect directly with consumer values
• Regularly study changes in consumer behavior
• Test limited time treats
• Teach your customers, but skip the fancy claims
• Share the story only you can tell

Adapt food trends only if they are a natural match

Emily Reynolds-Bergh, Owner at R Public Relations

"Local food and beverage companies can use micro-trends to attract new customers, but only if the trendy product is as good as the flagship products the company sells. Otherwise, trending products can work against companies and drive people away from their products. Just like any other type of trend, food trends should only be utilized if they are a natural and organic match for a company’s existing identity. This simple rule also helps avoid ethical concerns."

Leverage niche trends that connect directly with consumer values

Matt Woodley, Digital Marketing Strategist & Founder at InternationalMoneyTransfer.com

"Micro-trends are effective for food and beverage businesses because they are able to leverage niche trends that connect directly with consumer values such as health and sustainability and develop customer loyalty. A company that espouses values consistently like organic, environmentally and friendly packaging builds trust. Customer loyalty is much more likely when consumers are in alignment with a company's pursuit of what it is that they also find important.

Start-up companies that are entering into the matcha market must educate themselves on ethical sourcing. Consumers expect transparency and if the company wavers here, it will quickly lose consumer trust. I suggest fair trade matcha, as well as details regarding sourcing practices and processes. This way the company could engage in the matcha trend while remaining faithful to its ideals and authenticity."

Regularly study changes in consumer behavior

Mimi Nguyen, Founder at Cafely

"Microtrends can help keep your brand relevant amidst the changing preferences of your customers. When the pandemic happened, the sudden boom of at-home cafes boosted Cafely’s overall conversion and profit. Since people couldn’t freely hang out in their favorite cafes, they turned to e-commerce businesses like us to source their ingredients. From this, the idea to sell a milk frother came to be. This way, they’ll have handy equipment that can help them make their coffee anywhere at any time!

Local food and beverage companies can do the same by regularly studying changes in consumer behavior. For instance, Starbucks’ innovative use of Instagram to showcase their seasonal drinks came to be when they saw people excitedly sharing their drinks online. They further encouraged this behavior by introducing the #StarbucksSeasonal hashtag where they were able to create a community of new and loyal customers.

It’s also best to never be afraid of experimenting with new blends or food combinations. I personally get ideas to formulate new blends from customer feedback, especially on social media comments, where they specify the kind of coffee they wish we were selling.

Startup food and beverages companies can ethically participate in the matcha trend by practicing transparency. I personally feel more inclined to purchase my matcha whenever a brand indicates that they source their powder from humble farms in various regions. What further verifies this claim is how their matcha, even when used in their lattes or pastries, still has its distinct and prominent flavor of being fresh and earthy."

Test limited time treats

Bennett Maxwell, CEO at Franchise KI

"Here's something that worked for us. At Dirty Dough, we put out matcha treats for a limited time. People lined up, came back more, and we figured out what they actually liked. The best part? If it flopped, we weren't stuck with it. You can play around with new stuff without messing with what makes you, you. Just give it a shot and see what happens."

Teach your customers, but skip the fancy claims

Daniel Hebert, Founder at yourLumira by SalesMVP Lab Inc

"Working in both sales and food, I learned that hype doesn't last but honesty does. During our matcha pop-ups, people kept coming back when we were upfront about where the tea came from and simply explained what made it special. My advice is to teach your customers, but skip the fancy claims. Just tell them what it is and why it's good. Honesty goes further than any trend."

Share the story only you can tell

Allen Kou, Owner and Operator at Zinfandel Grille

"Look at microtrends like the matcha craze. They're a chance to tell a real story. At my restaurants, we made small-batch desserts and talked about the specific Japanese farm we found. Guests didn't just eat, they got curious about where it came from. So grab a trend, but use it to share the story only you can tell. That's what actually connects with people."

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