In recent years, matcha has risen from a niche drink to an in-demand product. Thanks to its distinctive colour, sweet flavour notes, and antioxidant content, more consumers are choosing it in coffee shops and restaurants.
Matcha’s popularity is far from a passing trend, with the global market currently valued at USD $2.5 billion. Therefore, businesses looking to capture new audiences and open new revenue sources should consider matcha on tap.
Dispensers that can serve matcha on tap – like Flo-Smart – have been designed to make it accessible and easy for businesses of all sizes. Not only can you establish yourself in this fast-evolving market, but you can do so seamlessly.
To learn more about the benefits of serving matcha on tap, I spoke to Steve McGuinness, the Business Development Manager at Blendsmiths. Read on for his insight into how Flo-Smart systems make matcha on tap more accessible than ever.
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Why should you offer matcha on tap?
The main benefit of offering matcha on tap is to access the growing consumer demand for matcha lattes and other drinks. In the United States alone, demand for matcha drinks in cafés rose by 202% between 2015 and 2020. Since then, it has continued to grow at a faster rate than the traditional coffee industry.
The main appeal of matcha on tap is its alignment with ongoing health trends – something particularly attuned to younger generations. Up to 80% of millennials consider health benefits when selecting foods, and matcha neatly aligns with these goals.
For example, it contains catechins that may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and antioxidants that can slow down ageing. Younger generations also consider it a “cleaner,” more concentrated source of energy compared to coffee, meaning if you serve it in coffee shops, you’ll see the demand in full effect.
However, you also need to consider how to serve matcha on tap. For coffee shops, restaurants, and other hospitality businesses, you need a specific chilled-line beverage system. The Flo-Smart system, for example, consists of a refrigerated container to store the matcha at the optimal temperature and automated dispensers to serve customers.
“Delivering a premium drink experience such as matcha has always been about flavour, quality, and consistency for Blendsmiths,” Steve says. “As demand grows across high-volume environments such as coffee chains, contract catering, and workplace dining, so too has the need for faster, more efficient ways to serve matcha without compromising on quality.”
Making matcha on tap easier for businesses
The Flo-Smart system is designed to make matcha on tap accessible to hospitality businesses. It automates the dispensing process with four- or two-tap options that pour a pre-set amount of liquid based on your settings. This means that once you’ve prepared your matcha in the morning and decanted it into the 18-litre container, you can save time on preparing each drink individually.
“By integrating Flo-Smart’s automated dispensing technology, we’ve been able to offer matcha on tap, transforming how teams prepare and serve drinks,” Steve says. “The system removes many of the traditional challenges with matcha, such as time-consuming preparation, inconsistent flavour, and dosing errors, while preserving the integrity of the product.”
Time savings are a key benefit of Flo-Smart’s matcha on tap solutions. After all, traditional matcha preparation in coffee shops and cafés can be time-consuming.
Particularly if your baristas are preparing a number of matcha lattes in a row, the whisking process can quickly add up. It’ll increase wait times for your customers, which may cause frustration. With Flo-Smart’s automated dispensing and multiple taps, the system does the work for you while staff can focus on other tasks.
Consistency is another issue with traditional matcha preparation, so serving it on tap is especially helpful. Measuring scoops of powder or manually steaming milk for each matcha latte can be imprecise. This leads to inconsistent flavour, wasted ingredients, and a higher cost per serve. Offering matcha on tap with a system that has automated dosage, based on your chosen volumes, eliminates this entirely.
Not only will you get better portion control for your matcha on tap, but automated systems like Flo-Smart ensure each serving is identical. That repeatability goes a long way in building up a positive reputation with customers, who know exactly what to expect on each visit.
For Steve, this is core to the appeal of automated matcha on tap. “It isn’t just about convenience,” he says. “It’s about delivering an unforgettable experience.
“For operators, this means unlocking matcha’s full potential as a menu staple, without the operational headaches. For consumers, it guarantees a smoother, more vibrant matcha every single time.”
Once you’ve closed your business for the day, the process of preparing Flo-Smart for another day of serving matcha on tap is equally seamless. The stainless steel tap is quick and easy to clean, and it has semi- and fully-automated programmes to clean jugs and drip trays.
Therefore, systems like Flo-Smart are the most efficient and consistent way to serve high-quality matcha on tap. From automatic pouring to easy cleaning, you can revolutionise your operations – and your drinks menu – without adding more to your workload.
To find your own dispenser for matcha on tap, visit our website or get in touch with us directly.
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