Wait For Good Tea

In various Facebook groups and conversations I’ve had with others, other than the health benefits of matcha, the most common question I hear is something like:

Where can I get the best matcha for the lowest price?

Add an Amazon Prime account on top of that type of attitude and we’ve got the trifecta. Folks like this want:

1. The best matcha
2. As fast as possible
3. At the lowest possible price

We can’t have this kind of cake and eat it too. This cake is a lie.

Some probing in conversations with this type of matcha drinker generally reveals what they care about most are numbers two and three: fast and cheap. If that’s what you want, here you go.

However, if we don’t mind waiting, then we get access to matcha like this and this–matcha made with craft and care by true masters of the craft.

It’s well worth the wait.

Wait, but why?

It’s not that matcha sold at Amazon, Whole Foods, and WalMart is inherently bad (though some of it is, so buyer beware). Rather, the constraints and requirements of the system force suppliers to make difficult decisions for the following reasons:

1. Money (retailers take their cut and Amazon in particular is notorious for their 25-30% share)
2. Supply (retailers require certain quantities available for sale)
3. Distribution (to be sold quickly and conveniently your matcha will not be stored in reliable, temperature-controlled conditions)

The incentives of the system align in such a way to give you the best available product given the limitations imposed by the system. Ultimately, businesses need profit to survive. That means consumers get the short end of the stick when sacrifices must be made.

Why not wait for something better?

A little bit of patience goes a long way.