Matcha craze: How a grass tasting trend became a Sh600 sip of wellness

Mary Wairimu preparing an iced vanilla matcha latte at the Karak&Go in Westlands, Nairobi on August 18, 2025.

Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group

Forget pumpkin spice and café lattes, Nairobians are now sipping on matcha, the bright green drink that has taken the city by storm. What began as a social media craze has grown into a full-blown movement, with many willingly parting with upwards of Sh600 per tumbler.

Hamdi Omer, 22, began drinking matcha a year ago after reuniting with her family in the US. At first, she disliked it, thinking it tasted like grass, but she eventually fell for the trend and its distinctive flavour.

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