Matcha with a Mexican touch
Cynthia Esparza is the CEO and founder of TeaSpot, a tea and herbal infusion company and tearoom in Tijuana.
Esparza travelled to Japan last year to visit matcha tea gardens and factories with the aim of adding the green tea to Tea Spot’s range.
But in order to appeal to Mexican palates, she developed a range products tailored to local tastes.
“Matcha tea on its own is very strong and can have a slightly fishy taste. That’s why I added other ingredients to the tea, so people can get used to the flavor,” she told us.
“Our other problem is that in Mexico, people think tea is like a medicine. For example, people only drink tea if they have a stomachache. I am working to change that mentality.”
Tea Spot sells matcha horchata powder; matcha chocolate; and matcha collagen.
Horchata, a creamy drink typically made with rice, sugar and cinnamon in Mexico, is popular throughout the country, and can be found in restaurants, supermarkets and street food stands.
Esparza, who also runs a tearoom in Tijuana, said consumers have been “very receptive” to the matcha range, which launched last year and has already become the company’s best-selling range.
The matcha powder blended with plant-based collagen appeals to health-conscious consumers and has COFEPRIS-backed health claims, she said.
TeaSpot’s products are sold in stores in the Baja California region as well as tearooms and coffee shops throughout Mexico.