Matcha & CO: premium organic matcha from Uji

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The Matcha & CO adventure begins during a trip to Japan, when Pepe Cabestany discovers the tea ceremony. He then learns what matcha tea is and one of its main virtues: providing energy in a calm and sustained way. Without the jitters, thanks to the L-theanine it contains.

In June 2018, he partnered with Victor Abrines and together they launched Matcha & CO. Their goal: to democratize matcha consumption in Europe, without compromising on quality. 

A ceremonial-quality organic matcha

Matcha & CO works in direct and exclusive collaboration with organic farms in Uji, Japan, which allows them to offer a superior-quality matcha, stone-ground. 

The matcha is classified as ceremonial quality. That means it can be consumed as during the Japanese tea ceremony. Beyond organic certification, the founders were also keen to offer products that are not animal-tested, vegan, and free from additives and GMOs.

The importance of preparation

According to Pepe Cabestany, “there is a big difference between a well-prepared matcha and a poorly prepared matcha”. And for a matcha prepared properly, Matcha & CO offers all the necessary equipment. The two important points to remember are the water temperature and the mixing. If the water is too hot, the tea will become bitter and lose its benefits. The ideal temperature is 70 to 75°C.

Mixing the tea using a bamboo whisk chasen is just as important for two reasons:

• This prevents lumps (which makes the tasting more pleasant)
• Whisking the tea with a whisk helps release all the flavors of the matcha

The benefits of matcha

Matcha stands out from energy drinks for its ability to provide long-lasting energy without jitters. Although it contains caffeine, it owes its calming and relaxing properties to L-theanine, an amino acid.

But that’s far from the only benefit of this green powder. L-theanine also helps to boost the secretion of dopamine and serotonin, the hormones of happiness and pleasure. Enough to feel relaxed throughout the day.

When winter arrives, matcha is a good ally to support your immune system thanks to its richness in vitamins A, C, E and antioxidants.

Its high concentration of antioxidants is due to the polyphenols it contains. These protect us against free radicals, unstable molecules that can damage our cells. 

The Matcha & CO ranges

Matcha has become very popular as a latte, combined with cow’s milk or a plant-based drink such as oat, soy, or coconut. For even more indulgence, Matcha & CO also offers matcha in vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry flavors.

To help people take better care of themselves, the brand goes further by offering a matcha collagen range. Collagen is a protein present in the body that ensures skin elasticity and firmness, the strength of tendons and ligaments. Its production decreases around age 25, hence the idea of supplementing via drinks such as these. 

Beyond ceremonial matcha, Matcha & CO also offers chai tea, infusions (sleep, digestion) and cosmetics such as a matcha facial serum.

This article includes affiliate links that may generate a commission, with no impact on the price.

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Sources and scientific studies

1. Manjun Shen, Yi-Yang, Ying Wu, Beibei Zhang, Haishan Wu, Lu Wang, Hui Tang, Jindong Chen. L-theanine ameliorate depressive-like behavior in a chronic unpredictable mild stress rat model via modulating the monoamine levels in limbic-cortical-striatal-pallidal-thalamic-circuit related brain regions. [Online] November 25, 2018. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30474152/

2. Sara Sokary, Maha Al-Asmakh, Zain Zakaria, Hiba Bawadi. The therapeutic potential of matcha tea: A critical review on human and animal studies. [Online] November 23, 2022. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9792400/