From error to idea

“So, why matcha?” you might ask. Yes, it's true, matcha is no longer an insider tip and there are already many suppliers on the market. In this article I would like to explain what attracted me to matcha and why I still see great potential in it. The story starts on a sunny day, in a place I least expected.

One beautiful spring day I was sitting in a cozy café with a good friend in the picturesque old town of Bern, my hometown. I still remember clearly: I ordered a cappuccino and immersed myself in the conversation. Meanwhile the waiter brought our order. But when I wanted to take a sip, I stopped. Instead of the expected coffee brew, a green liquid stared back at me. Matcha, as it turns out.

Until recently, I only knew about matcha from the internet. My knowledge of it was limited and, to be honest, I had some prejudices: I saw it as expensive, too sweet and just a short-lived trend. Therefore, I never felt the need to try matcha. But as luck would have it, I decided to give the matcha latte that was served a chance. I had no idea what to expect and I have to admit that I actually wrinkled my nose the first time I took a sip.

After I left the cafe, I found that the unique taste of matcha couldn't be gotten out of my head. Driven by my curiosity, I immediately started researching this green powder online. What I found there was a confusing mix of promises and claims: "Lose weight with matcha", "happier with matcha", "more concentration", "fewer illnesses" - the list of supposed benefits seemed endless. I researched further and delved deeper into the world of matcha. It turned out that many of the claimed benefits were at least partially true, but many also appeared to be exaggerated and marketed in a misleading manner. Many providers were not very transparent about their products. It was difficult for me to identify which suppliers really offered high-quality matcha and which took advantage of customers' ignorance.

I bought my first matcha from a physical store because it gave me some peace of mind. I experimented with the matcha and over time noticed some benefits, such as improved sleep and a more even distribution of energy throughout the day. My matcha routine quickly became a habit and soon I had almost completely replaced my daily coffee routine with matcha, something that would have been unthinkable just two months ago. I tried different suppliers and was also interested in mixtures. It wasn't easy to find really good matcha, and many of the blends contained a lot of sugar, which I wanted to avoid as much as possible in my daily consumption.

The emergence of the idea of ​​opening your own online shop was a gradual process. They were little ideas and inspirations that came to mind while making matcha. Over time, I became more and more of a Matcha enthusiast and was able to convince many friends and relatives to drink Matcha. Ultimately, however, there were three decisive factors that motivated me to start my own shop:

1. Trust

I have often been skeptical about matcha offers online because the quality of this product is difficult to assess. Many providers know how to take advantage of this and invest a lot in marketing to acquire new customers, which means that the quality of the matcha often takes a back seat. My goal is to take a more sustainable path based on trust and long-term customer relationships. Many suppliers neglect the actual value and background of Matcha and instead focus on quick profits and fast-moving trends.

2. Enlightenment

Matcha is a new product that has yet to establish itself in Western society. I see the biggest challenge in educating people about matcha. Customers should be able to assess offers themselves and find the right product for themselves. Consumers' ignorance is often exploited with misleading advertising messages. There is also great potential here to gain the trust of customers in the long term with good information.

3. Healthy and delicious

Matcha has a unique taste that can be creatively combined with other flavors. Although there are already many matcha recipes and products, I see great potential in developing healthy, tasty powder blends that contain little or no sugar. Matcha is often overly sweetened in many products, which in my opinion obscures both the taste and the philosophy of matcha. I also think that many people don't like the pure taste of matcha, but might love it in combination with other ingredients, without a lot of sugar.

Not long after, I shared the idea with my colleague Philemon and we started developing ideas together. I'll tell you how the team behind Yago ultimately came together in the next post.