Chances are, when you pop into your local cafe you are as likely to find matcha on the menu as a flat white or an oat cap. Once a niche ceremonial tea, matcha has boomed in popularity, with cafes from Brunswick to Bondi serving up aesthetically pleasing iced drinks, along with matcha-flavoured cakes and pastries. The eye-catching appearance of these products has made them perfect fodder for social media feeds, which, along with the perception of health benefits, have fuelled the boom. Such is matcha’s mass appeal that dedicated appreciation societies have formed around a shared love of the drink, creating community and connection. As this week’s cover story writer Dani Valent identifies, matcha is a social movement as well as a beverage. But has the mainstreaming of matcha come at the expense of tradition and culture, and how are Japanese producers keeping up with the demand? Food (or drink) for thought. – Melissa Stevens, editor