SAN FRANCISCO — A modern take on an ancient ritual, ITO EN, the world’s leading supplier of green tea leaves and innovators of ready-to-drink beverages, is taking green tea to new heights with the introduction of Matcha LOVE™, a convenient on-the-go Matcha drink that can be easily enjoyed without the fuss of the traditional preparation.
Matcha, a finely milled green tea powder made from premium tea leaves, has been the centerpiece of the Japanese tea ceremony for centuries. Today, the ceremonial Matcha is making its way into the urban modern lifestyle for its fresh taste, health benefits and boost of energy with a “calm alertness”.
MADE WITH 100% REAL MATCHA AND BREWED WITH METICULOUSLY SOURCED GREEN TEA LEAVES, the new Matcha LOVE™ offers an authentic experience in two (2) flavors of Unsweetened and Sweetened smartly packaged in a 5.2 fl oz recyclable steel can. Offering Unsweetened for the purist and Sweetened for those in need of a slightly sweeter balance to the characteristically bitter taste of Matcha. The all-natural Matcha LOVE™ is deliciously rich in flavor and has more tea antioxidants—EGCG and Vitamin C, than a regular brewed cup of green tea. The Matcha LOVE™ line also offers CULINARY Matcha for cooking and baking, as well a ceremonial powdered green tea in small tins (0.7 oz) available in four (4) flavors: Organic, Classic, Usucha & Koicha.
The celebrated matcha is made from shade-grown tea leaves that have been covered weeks prior to harvesting. The shading results in a higher production of L-Theanine, an amino acid that gives an umami sweetness to the tea. L-Theanine also has a calming effect countering the jitteriness of caffeine, a natural occurring property found in tea. Once the tea leaves are harvested, they are quickly steamed and dried, with the veins and stems removed. This preparation garners the purity of the actual tea leaf called Tencha. It is then ground into the herbaceous and bright green talc-like powder—Matcha.
“More people are falling in love with the purity and vitality of matcha” says Rona Tison, Sr. Vice President of Corporate Relations. “With the fresh taste of our Matcha LOVE™, we are making it easy and approachable to enjoy the full benefits of drinking the entire green tea leaf. ”
Traditionally whisked with a bamboo whisk in a tea bowl, matcha is taking new forms as a popular ingredient in lattes and smoothies, as well as cooking and baking of savory or sweet dishes.
Matcha LOVE™ will be available in gourmet and specialty food stores, as well as natural and mainstream markets nationwide, at a suggested retail price of $1.99. ONLINE ORDERS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON MATCHALOVE.COM OR ITOEN.COM.