Matcha is no longer a niche add-on. It's become a permanent fixture on café menus, driven by demand for coffee alternatives and wellness-forward drinks. As interest grows, many operators face the same decision: ceremonial or premium matcha, and which actually works in a café environment?

The answer isn't about hierarchy or "best quality." It's about choosing the right matcha for the way your menu operates, your customers order, and your team serves.

Understanding Matcha Grades in Foodservice

Although matcha grades aren't regulated globally, the terms ceremonial and premium are commonly used to describe differences in flavour, colour and application.

Ceremonial grade matcha is produced from young, shade-grown tea leaves and finely milled for a smooth, delicate profile. It's known for its bright green colour and low bitterness, making it ideal when matcha is served simply and without heavy additions.

Premium matcha, on the other hand, is designed to deliver reliable flavour when paired with milk, syrups or ice. It offers a more robust taste that holds its own in high-turnover, milk-based drinks, without compromising consistency or speed of service.

For cafés, the distinction is practical rather than prestige-based.

When Ceremonial Matcha Makes Sense on Menu

Ceremonial matcha performs best when it's the focal point of the drink.

Common applications include:

Traditional hot matcha
Simple iced or hot matcha
Limited-edition or premium offerings

Arkadia's Ceremonial Grade Matcha Pure and Ceremonial Grade Matcha Latte are developed for these moments, offering a smooth finish and vibrant colour that supports premium positioning and higher menu pricing, appealing to both matcha enthusiasts and wellness-driven customers.

Where Premium Matcha Delivers the Best Commercial Outcome

In busy café environments, premium matcha is often the most practical option.

It's well suited to:

Matcha lattes
Flavoured iced matcha
Matcha frappes
High-volume service periods

Arkadia's Premium Matcha Latte Mix is formulated specifically for hospitality use, providing balanced flavour, quick preparation and dependable results across every shift, helping cafés maintain quality while managing labour and ingredient costs.

A Smarter Approach: Using Both Grades

Many cafés don't limit themselves to one grade. They build a tiered matcha offering.

A common structure includes:

Ceremonial matcha for traditional or signature drinks
Premium matcha for flavoured, milk-based and high-volume beverages

This approach allows operators to broaden their menu, meet different customer expectations and protect margins, without adding complexity to workflow.

Why Matcha Deserves a Place on Modern Menus

Matcha has shifted from trend to staple. Its adaptability across hot, iced and functional drinks, combined with strong visual appeal and growing consumer awareness, makes it one of the most valuable non-coffee categories in today's café landscape.

By selecting matcha grades that suit specific menu roles, and choosing products built for foodservice, cafés can deliver better drinks, price with confidence and meet demand without slowing service.

Ultimately, success with matcha isn't about choosing one grade over another. It's about using each where it performs best.