South Africa’s first Sparkling Matcha
The idea for Jade Samurai emerged in 2017 after five years of daily matcha rituals. The changes experienced in mind, body and soul inspired a desire to make matcha accessible in a way that could appeal to both those who already loved it and those discovering it for the first time.
At the same time, the beverage market was becoming increasingly crowded with drinks laden with sugar, harmful ingredients and excessive stimulation, while healthier alternatives often sacrificed flavour and enjoyment.
The question became: how do you create a refreshing beverage that provides meaningful mental and physical support without compromising on flavour or ingredients?
The answer took nine years to develop.
Things that last, take time to build
It took nine years of development, tasting and refinement to create this exceptional beverage. The journey involved exploring products across the globe, testing more than 100 variations and overcoming the considerable technical challenges of working with matcha in a carbonated format. There were many failures along the way before the right combination of flavour, balance and stability was achieved.
The final formulation was tested in Thailand with one of the country’s largest beverage producers, receiving full approval, before further testing with local industry specialists, matcha lovers and close friends.
The result is a sparkling matcha combining 3g of Japanese matcha with crisp apple, natural sweetness and carbonation in a refreshing, flavourful and accessible format.
"The umami really comes through, and it’s the perfect sweetness. You get the apple and a little lemon, which makes it so refreshing. And with 3g of matcha, you’re getting all the benefits too. It’s a yes for me. I don’t want this to end!” Khangelani, A33
Founder
Jessica Bonin is a tea sommelier, tea industry specialist and entrepreneur with over 16 years’ experience.
She previously founded Lady Bonin’s Tea, South Africa’s award-winning tea brand that pioneered everything tea. She launched South Africa’s first tea food truck in 2010, its first matcha brand in 2013 and its first Tea Bar in 2016.
Her work with tea has always been grounded in understanding its origins, history and culture. As a formal student of Chanoyu, the Japanese Tea Ceremony, Jessica has developed a particular respect for matcha and its place within Japanese tea culture.
Jade Samurai brings that experience into a contemporary beverage format.
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