Should you love matcha, you might need heard of (and even tasted) Matcha Eight’s drinks or desserts.
Based by Miho Kaneko, this homegrown enterprise is understood for its genuine Japanese tea flavours.
As you would possibly be capable of inform from her title, Miho herself is initially from Japan. A Liberal Arts and Japanese Historical past graduate of Rikkyo College in Tokyo, she went on to increase her worldwide perspective by English language research in New York.
That stated, she has been residing in Malaysia for the previous seven years, bringing her experience in public relations and strategic communications to the native market.
In 2018, she was appointed as Managing Director of Vector Malaysia, the Malaysian subsidiary of Vector Incorporation, a public-listed Japanese PR agency headquartered in Tokyo.
A PR and advertising company, Vector Malaysia has notable purchasers such because the Japan Nationwide Tourism Organisation (JNTO), the Pokémon Firm, and different worldwide manufacturers originating in Japan.
And naturally, Vector Malaysia can also be the father or mother firm behind Matcha Eight.
Scooping up the enterprise
As a forward-thinking organisation, Vector is a spot the place staff are inspired to have an entrepreneurial spirit.
“Our counterparts in South Korea and Taiwan have efficiently expanded into industries corresponding to cosmetics and pet meals, showcasing our dedication to innovation and adaptableness,” Miho shared.
As a passionate foodie herself, she desired to introduce genuine Japanese desserts to the Malaysian market. And ice cream appeared to suit the invoice because it’s universally cherished.
Plus, she felt that discovering premium and genuine Japanese tea ice cream within the metropolis was nonetheless a problem.
“In Japan, the idea of various intensities of tea ice cream is well-established, but it surely was nearly absent in Malaysia,” she claimed. “This realisation marked the start of our journey through the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.”
Whereas awaiting the completion of LaLaport Bukit Bintang Metropolis Centre shopping center, Matcha Eight operated solely on-line for almost a yr with 4 ice cream flavours.
Selecting LaLaport BBCC as their launch location was a strategic choice. For one, it has a powerful repute as a part of the Mitsui LaLaport shopping center community in Japan. With it being their first retailer, although, she approached the enterprise with some warning, choosing a modest footprint of underneath 500 sq. toes.
In January 2022, they formally launched the primary bodily Matcha Eight retailer, bringing the wealthy custom of Japanese tea-infused desserts to Malaysia.
Honouring the eight farmers
Matcha Eight is all about crafting artisanal, premium, and 100% pure Japanese tea ice cream, rigorously curated to supply a variety of intensities—from sencha and matcha to hojicha and genmaicha.
Their ice cream is all made utilizing single-origin Wazuka tea from Kyoto. In truth, the title Matcha Eight is a tribute to the eight Wazuka farmers who present the enterprise with their distinctive, single-origin tea powder.
“These devoted artisans have spent generations nurturing their family-owned tea plantations, making certain the very best high quality matcha that varieties the muse of our ice cream,” Miho stated.
“We take immense delight in supporting these farmers, and for the primary time, they’ve the chance to attach instantly with customers, sharing the enjoyment of their craft in a very significant method.”
She defined that Wazuka matcha is exclusive because it’s cultivated on scenic, hilly slopes, the place the terrain makes mechanised harvesting difficult.
In consequence, many of the tea is rigorously hand-picked, making certain that solely the freshest, most premium buds are chosen—instantly contributing to its superior high quality.
Nevertheless, the meticulous course of limits quantity, making high-grade Wazuka matcha an unique providing.
Miho elaborated, “For functions like ice cream and drinks, second flush tea offers the perfect steadiness of flavour and cost-efficiency.”
Do you know: Second flush tea, also referred to as summer season flush tea, refers to tea leaves harvested through the second main development cycle of the tea plant, sometimes in Could and June.
Given the rarity and premium nature of first flush Wazuka matcha, its pricing would make it impractical for day by day use. The founder stated one matcha latte alone would in all probability exceed RM100.
“Moreover, Japan’s tea export system is complicated, with farmers, processors, and distributors working independently,” she stated. “Whereas most tea is offered by intermediaries, Matcha Eight takes a novel method, sourcing instantly from farmers—making certain authenticity, sustainability, and a direct connection to the guts of Wazuka’s tea heritage.”
A Michelin-recognised contact
The “eight” in Matcha Eight additionally displays the enterprise’ dedication to eight traditional flavours of Japanese tea ice cream, every representing a special tea depth.
Over time, their menu has additionally expanded to incorporate premium and seasonal choices, alongside a curated collection of Japanese desserts and matcha drinks.
Their TRX flagship retailer affords an array of Japanese desserts from conventional warabimochi and matcha zenzai to delicate matcha and hojicha jelly. There’s additionally a curated Matcha Eight Seasonal Platter.
The menu is powered by an unique partnership with Grasp Chef Takuji Takahashi, the third-generation proprietor of Kinobu, a one Michelin-starred restaurant in Kyoto.
“As a Japanese Delicacies Goodwill Ambassador, Chef Takahashi is deeply dedicated to sharing and preserving Japanese meals tradition past Japan’s borders,” Miho defined. “Pushed by this mission, he eagerly partnered with Matcha Eight, serving to craft our ice cream and dessert recipes with experience and innovation.”
She additionally shared that Chef Takahashi has been a trusted pal and collaborator of hers for years. Previous to Matcha Eight, they labored collectively on quite a few PR collaborations throughout Japan and Malaysia, fostering a shared ardour for Japanese delicacies and tradition.
“After I launched the thought of opening a matcha ice cream speciality store in Malaysia, he instantly embraced the imaginative and prescient, providing his full help and experience to deliver the idea to life,” she stated.
Whisk and rewards
“Our journey began through the COVID-19 pandemic, once we recognised a chance to help Wazuka farmers in Kyoto by exporting their tea leaves to Malaysia—an initiative aligned with their enterprise transformation efforts,” Miho mirrored.
This method really enabled them to safe a subsidy from Kyoto. Due to this kind of help, the enterprise reportedly broke even in 4 months’ time of operation.
The group additionally advantages from longstanding partnerships with Japanese companies and authorities businesses from their PR arm. Lots of them really sought Matcha Eight’s experience for check advertising Japanese components.
“Moreover, our expertise navigating the Malaysian market has positioned us as a useful resource for firms trying to increase into the area,” Miho stated.
“This has allowed us to generate income whereas fostering synergy between our public relations and meals and beverage divisions, making a dynamic intersection of promoting, enterprise innovation, and culinary heritage.”
Wanting forward, the enterprise plans to increase their group and broaden choices to incorporate personal events, enjoyable workshops, company features, and strategic partnerships with way of life and wellness manufacturers.
In the long run, they intention to strengthen their presence by establishing extra shops throughout the nation.
“The Malaysian matcha market nonetheless holds large potential for development. I’ve noticed firsthand how progressive matcha creations, vastly totally different from conventional Japanese interpretations, proceed to emerge—rapidly gaining reputation and capturing the curiosity of native customers.”
Miho Kaneko
On the finish of the day, Matcha Eight is about extra than simply style.
Reasonably, it’s about taking delight in sourcing premium components and honouring the experience of Wazuka farmers. By specializing in craftsmanship and custom, the standard style matcha lovers search is bound to return.
- Be taught extra about Matcha Eight right here.
- Learn different articles we’ve written about F&B companies right here.
Featured Picture Credit score: Matcha Eight
