PureChimp enters matcha market

Purechimp

British start-up PureChimp has launched a retail offer of three matcha powders aimed at entry-level consumers.

The powders – Mint Matcha Green Tea, Lemon Matcha Green Tea and Matcha Green Tea – are made from ceremonial grade matcha. They are packaged in resealable 20g stand-up pouches with branding designed to appeal to a younger shopper, as these are the main drivers of rising sales of non-traditional teas in the UK, says the company.

“There are a number of matcha tea bags available, but these are a long way from genuine matcha tea, which of course has to be in powder form,” says Dean Legg, PureChimp founder. “Those powder products that are available are unfortunately priced at a premium that is prohibitive for many shoppers wanting to try matcha for the first time. We’ve worked hard to produce a product that is of the very highest quality, but whose price point and branding we hope will appeal to those new to matcha.”

The company is running a marketing and PR campaign alongside the launch which is designed to educate consumers as to why they should try matcha.

“Whilst ‘matcha’ is becoming a well-known word, people aren’t really sure of why they should be using it yet. Our PR and marketing campaign, entitled ‘get the buzz without the fuzz’, looks to educate people in a clear and concise way about how and why drinking matcha can give you the energy lift of other caffeinated drinks, without the associated anxiety or ‘fuzziness’. We hope highlighting this, and recent research linked to it, will help people easily grasp the difference between matcha and other teas.”

5% of the company’s profits go to charity. The brand is currently working with savethechimps.org.