Batch Matcha for Efficiency, But at What Cost?
With over 1.6 million matcha sales in the UK alone, coffee shops face a critical choice: speed or precision. For baristas like Anna, who runs multiple specialty cafes in Liverpool, the demand for matcha has outpaced their ability to prepare it manually. “We used to focus on quality above all else,” she says, “but as sales surged, we risked losing customers by slowing down service.” The challenge isn’t just about time—it’s about balancing efficiency with the ritualistic care matcha demands. Batching matcha offers a solution, but it’s not without trade-offs. Traditional preparation involves sieving, whisking, and precise temperature control, a…