Southeast Asia Matcha Market 2026: Thailand, Vietnam & Singapore Buyer Signals

Southeast Asia should not be treated as one single matcha market.

Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore all show strong interest in Japanese tea and matcha-related formats, but the way consumers want to drink tea—and the value they place on flavor, convenience and quality—differs significantly between the three markets.

For cafés, beverage brands, distributors and matcha suppliers, that distinction matters.

The same matcha profile, sweetness level, pack format and marketing message will not necessarily work equally well across Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore.

JETRO’s 2026 consumer study across Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam offers a useful view of these differences.

The key B2B takeaway is:

Thailand is highly receptive to matcha, powder formats and RTD-style convenience; Vietnam shows very strong purchase intent and interest in milk-based and cold formats; Singapore combines premium quality expectations with both traditional and modern matcha consumption.

This article looks at what those differences may mean for commercial matcha buyers and beverage developers. The sourcing and market-entry recommendations are our interpretation of the findings, not JETRO product endorsements or validated demand forecasts.

Data note: The primary source for this article is JETRO’s report published in April 2026 on Japanese tea consumption and purchasing behavior in Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The report primarily reflects February 2026 information, using an online panel of 600 adults per country (1,800 total), with separate Bangkok store research. It is not an ASEAN-wide market-size estimate or a guarantee of actual future purchases. Some survey questions cover Japanese tea overall rather than matcha alone. Matcha-specific conclusions are identified separately from broader Japanese-tea findings. JETRO report and methodology

Southeast Asia Is Moving Beyond the Initial Matcha Boom

JETRO’s 2026 assessment describes the ASEAN Japanese-tea market as moving beyond an initial matcha boom toward a broader stage of adoption.

Matcha has played an important role as an entry product that introduces consumers to Japanese tea, but demand is becoming more segmented by country, drinking occasion and product type. JETRO market analysis, May 18, 2026

This is important for B2B buyers.

Early-stage markets often behave simply:

consumers discover matcha → cafés add matcha latte → demand grows.

A more mature market behaves differently.

Consumers start separating:

• premium vs everyday tea
• traditional vs flavored drinks
• café vs RTD
• hot vs iced
• tea-service vs convenience
• quality vs price

That means suppliers and brands need a more precise market strategy.

Purchase Intent Is High Across All Three Markets

JETRO found high future purchase intent for Japanese tea across Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Among surveyed consumers:

• Vietnam: 80.5% said they definitely wanted to purchase or drink Japanese tea in the next six months.
• Thailand: 73.7% selected the strongest purchase-intent response.
• Singapore: 56.7% selected the strongest response, with another 31.2% saying they would probably purchase. JETRO survey, PDF p. 54

These figures refer to Japanese tea overall rather than matcha alone.

Still, they show that all three markets have meaningful consumer openness.

For matcha brands, the more interesting question is therefore not:

Is there interest?

It is:

Which formats and positioning fit each market best?

Thailand: Strong Matcha and Convenience Signals

Among the three markets, Thailand shows one of the clearest matcha-specific signals.

JETRO describes matcha as standing out strongly in both awareness and drinking frequency compared with other Japanese tea categories.

Powdered products and RTD beverages also have a visible presence, while customization with milk and sweetness is particularly important. JETRO survey, PDF p. 45

JETRO’s Bangkok field research found matcha products across:

• specialist cafés
• shopping malls
• BTS transit locations
• wider retail and beverage channels

The report describes matcha as becoming an everyday beverage option alongside coffee rather than remaining a niche Japanese-tea experience. JETRO survey, PDF p. 62

What Thai Consumers Want to Try

In JETRO’s survey, milk-based Japanese tea drinks such as lattes were the most-selected future drinking format in Thailand.

Fruit-juice combinations, desserts and carbonated formats also received meaningful interest. JETRO survey, PDF p. 30

This tells B2B buyers something important:

Thailand is not simply a straight-whisking matcha market.

It is highly compatible with:

• iced matcha lattes
• sweetened matcha
• flavored matcha
• fruit matcha
• RTD matcha
• dessert applications

B2B Implication for Thailand

For cafés and beverage brands, a matcha profile should be tested with:

• milk
• sweetness
• ice
• flavor syrups
• local serving sizes

A matcha that performs beautifully with water may not remain visible enough in a sweet milk-based Thai beverage.

Buyers should prioritize:

flavor through milk → finished color → bitterness balance → dose → cost per serving.

Thailand May Be Especially Attractive for Café and RTD Formats

Thailand’s combination of matcha familiarity, convenience formats and flavored beverage demand makes it particularly relevant to:

• café chains
• beverage kiosks
• RTD brands
• bubble-tea operators
• foodservice distributors

The opportunity is not necessarily to sell the highest-positioned matcha available.

It is to identify a profile that works economically and sensorially in the final drink.

A high-volume café may prioritize a different matcha from a premium tea bar.

That is why application-specific sampling matters.

Vietnam: The Strongest Purchase Intent, but a Different Tea Culture

Vietnam recorded the strongest purchase-intent signal in JETRO’s survey, with 80.5% selecting the strongest future-purchase response. JETRO survey, PDF p. 42

But Vietnam differs from Thailand in an important way.

JETRO found that sencha recognition is particularly strong, and Japanese tea is often consumed as an everyday beverage alongside meals.

Genmaicha and other Japanese tea formats also have relatively broad awareness. JETRO survey, PDF p. 45

This suggests a market where tea itself already fits into daily consumption habits.

For matcha brands, that creates both opportunity and competition.

Consumers may be open to matcha, but they are not entering the category with no existing tea context.

Vietnam Shows Strong Interest in Latte and Cold Formats

Despite its broader tea culture, Vietnam showed very strong interest in modern preparation formats.

In JETRO’s survey, the most-selected future Japanese-tea format in Vietnam was:

tea with milk / latte

Cold brew was also highly selected, followed by dessert and carbonated formats. JETRO survey, PDF p. 43

This is commercially important.

It suggests Vietnam can support both:

everyday tea consumption

and

modern café matcha formats.

Those two consumer behaviors do not need to compete.

They can coexist.

B2B Opportunity in Vietnam: Everyday Beverage + Café Innovation

For beverage developers, Vietnam may be particularly interesting for:

• matcha latte
• iced matcha
• cold beverages
• matcha desserts
• café chains
• foodservice programs

But brands should avoid assuming the Vietnamese consumer only wants a very sweet drink.

Tea familiarity may also create room for:

• clearer tea flavor
• lighter sweetness
• aromatic profiles
• everyday repeat consumption

This should be tested rather than assumed.

Singapore: Quality and Drinking Format Both Matter

Singapore shows a different pattern.

JETRO found relatively balanced support between matcha and sencha.

The survey also indicates that consumers place greater emphasis on characteristics such as:

• ease of drinking
• lower bitterness/astringency
• perceived quality

Singapore also shows relatively stronger interest in traditional preparation than Thailand or Vietnam. JETRO survey, PDF p. 55

This does not mean Singapore rejects flavored or milk-based matcha.

In fact, JETRO found interest in latte-style drinking almost equal to interest in traditional preparation.

The difference is that the market appears more capable of supporting both.

Singapore Is a Dual Market

For matcha brands, Singapore may be best understood as a dual market.

One part of the market is interested in:

• quality
• provenance
• traditional tea
• straight preparation
• premium sensory experience

Another part still wants:

• latte
• cold drinks
• café formats
• convenience

That means the same country can support several matcha positions.

Premium Tea Service

Relevant considerations:

• aroma
• umami
• mouthfeel
• bitterness
• origin story

Café Matcha

Relevant considerations:

• milk compatibility
• color
• sweetness balance
• cost per serving

Retail / Packaged Products

Relevant considerations:

• convenience
• packaging
• product consistency
• clear quality communication

Thailand vs Vietnam vs Singapore

The three markets can be summarized differently.

This is not a ranking of which country is “best.”

It is a market-fit comparison.

One Matcha Strategy Should Not Be Used Across All Three Markets

A supplier or beverage brand entering Southeast Asia may be tempted to use one standard product.

For example:

one matcha
one recipe
one sweetness level
one packaging format

across Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore.

That may simplify operations, but it can also ignore important differences in consumer behavior.

A better approach is to keep the supply system simple while allowing the application strategy to change.

For example:

Core Café Profile

One matcha might support:

Thailand flavored latte
Vietnam iced latte
Singapore everyday café service

But the approved recipe may differ.

Premium Profile

A second matcha may support:

Singapore premium tea service
specialty café menus
higher-end retail

This keeps SKU complexity under control without forcing every market into the same recipe.

Matcha Grade Names Should Not Drive Market Strategy

It is easy to assume:

Singapore → ceremonial
Thailand → latte grade
Vietnam → culinary

That would be too simplistic.

Grade names are not globally standardized.

Commercial buyers should evaluate:

• actual sensory profile
• intended recipe
• finished color
• milk compatibility
• required dose
• price
• documentation
• consistency

The market determines the application.

The application determines the product requirements.

Sweetness Is a Market Variable

Thailand and Vietnam both show strong interest in latte-style Japanese tea.

But this does not mean every drink should use the same sweetness level.

A café should evaluate:

• local sweetness preference
• milk
• cup size
• matcha dose
• flavor components

For a sweeter drink, matcha needs enough intensity to remain recognizable.

For a lighter drink, excessive matcha may increase bitterness unnecessarily.

The final drink should determine the dose.

Fruit and Flavored Matcha May Be Particularly Relevant

Thailand’s interest in fruit-juice combinations and Vietnam’s interest in modern cold formats suggest potential for flavored matcha concepts. JETRO survey, PDF p. 55

This connects with wider global trends around:

• strawberry matcha
• raspberry matcha
• mango matcha
• vanilla matcha
• brown sugar matcha
• cold foam

For cafés, this creates a useful development opportunity:

use one approved matcha profile across several flavor families.

That approach can simplify:

• purchasing
• staff training
• inventory
• cost control

RTD Matcha Could Fit Southeast Asia Particularly Well

JETRO specifically notes the strong presence of RTD and powdered tea products in Thailand. JETRO survey, PDF p. 53

Hot climates and convenience-driven consumption can also create logical opportunities for cold packaged beverages.

However, brands should not interpret this as a recommendation to simply copy a café recipe into a bottle.

RTD development still requires evaluation of:

• dispersion
• sedimentation
• processing
• physical stability
• sensory stability
• packaging
• shelf-life

For that technical side, see From Café to RTD: How Matcha Is Moving Into Packaged Beverages.

Quality Communication May Matter More as the Market Matures

JETRO’s broader conclusion is particularly important.

The ASEAN Japanese-tea market appears to be moving beyond a pure boom stage toward more sophisticated demand.

Consumers are gradually placing more importance on:

• product differences
• quality
• cultural value
• drinking format

JETRO argues that future market development will require clearer product positioning and stronger information supporting quality. JETRO market analysis, May 18, 2026

For suppliers, this means “Premium Matcha” is not enough.

Buyers increasingly need to understand:

• origin
• product profile
• application
• documentation
• testing
• supplier consistency

B2B Buyers Should Separate Consumer Story From Procurement Evidence

A premium brand story may help sell the drink.

It does not replace supplier qualification.

Commercial buyers should separately evaluate:

Consumer Story

Origin
Flavor
Brand positioning
Cultural story

Procurement Evidence

Product specification
Batch information
Testing
Documentation
Lead time
Supply capacity

Both matter.

But they answer different questions.

Does Southeast Asia Require Japanese-Origin Matcha?

JETRO’s research specifically examines Japanese tea demand.

That should not be interpreted as proof that every Southeast Asian consumer only accepts Japanese-origin matcha.

For a commercial buyer evaluating another origin, including China-origin matcha, the correct process is still:

• disclose origin accurately
• test the product
• understand market positioning
• validate the application
• confirm documentation

A premium Japanese-origin proposition and a commercially efficient China-origin café profile may serve different segments.

Neither should be misrepresented as the other.

China-Origin Matcha May Have a Role in Commercial Formats

For high-volume applications such as:

• milk-based café drinks
• bakery
• foodservice
• RTD development
• flavored beverages

buyers may evaluate China-origin matcha alongside other supply options.

The product still needs to meet:

sensory target → application performance → documentation → commercial requirements.

Origin diversification should be a sourcing decision, not a shortcut around product qualification.

Three Market Entry Models

For B2B buyers considering Southeast Asia, three practical approaches stand out.

Thailand: Experience & Convenience

Possible strategy:

Matcha latte → flavor innovation → RTD / convenience

Focus on:

visual impact, customization, sweetness balance and café performance.

Vietnam: Everyday Tea Meets Modern Café

Possible strategy:

Daily tea familiarity → iced / latte formats → repeat consumption

Focus on:

drinkability, aroma, milk compatibility and everyday pricing.

Singapore: Quality + Choice

Possible strategy:

premium quality → traditional service + café formats

Focus on:

sensory quality, provenance, documentation and differentiated profiles.

What Suppliers Should Ask Before Recommending Matcha

Instead of asking only:

Which country are you selling to?

ask:

What are you making?

Latte?
RTD?
Straight whisking?
Dessert?

Who is buying it?

Mass café?
Premium specialty café?
Retail consumer?

How sweet is the recipe?

What milk or base is used?

What is the target price?

What documentation is required?

What volume is expected?

The country is only one input.

The finished application is the more useful starting point.

Practical Sample Strategy for Southeast Asian Buyers

A buyer does not necessarily need ten matcha samples.

Start with a smaller, structured range.

For example:

Profile A — Everyday Café

Evaluate:

• milk
• ice
• sweetness
• cost

Profile B — Premium Café

Evaluate:

• stronger tea character
• lower sweetness
• signature drinks

Profile C — Straight / Premium

Evaluate where the market requires more exposed tea character.

Then compare under controlled conditions.

This creates actionable data instead of sample overload.

Matcha Origin Co.’s Approach to Southeast Asia Projects

Matcha Origin Co. supports commercial buyers using an application-led sourcing approach.

For projects in Southeast Asia, buyers can share:

• target country
• business type
• intended application
• sweetness level
• milk/base
• expected volume
• target pricing
• documentation requirements

Suitable profiles can then be shortlisted for sample evaluation.

We do not assume that one country requires one fixed matcha grade.

The selected profile should be tested in the actual product.

Compare Matcha Profiles →

Explore Matcha for Café Drinks →

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Request B2B Samples →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is matcha popular in Thailand?

Yes. JETRO’s 2026 research identifies matcha as particularly strong in Thailand, with high awareness and drinking frequency. Powdered products, RTD formats and milk/sweetened drinks are also prominent. JETRO survey, PDF p. 45

Is matcha popular in Vietnam?

Matcha has meaningful opportunity, although Vietnam’s broader Japanese-tea culture differs from Thailand. JETRO found especially strong purchase intent for Japanese tea and high interest in latte and cold-drink formats. JETRO survey, PDF p. 55

What type of matcha market is Singapore?

Singapore appears more quality-oriented, with relatively balanced interest in matcha and sencha and meaningful demand for both traditional tea and latte-style formats. JETRO survey, PDF p. 55

Which Southeast Asian market is best for matcha lattes?

Thailand and Vietnam both show particularly strong interest in milk-based Japanese tea formats. The right commercial opportunity still depends on the café concept, pricing, location and finished recipe.

Is RTD matcha suitable for Southeast Asia?

Thailand already shows a strong presence of powdered and RTD Japanese-tea products, suggesting good format compatibility. Other Southeast Asian markets may also support cold packaged formats, but each product requires its own commercial and technical validation. JETRO survey, PDF p. 53

Should suppliers use the same matcha in Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore?

Not automatically. The same profile may work across markets, but finished recipes and positioning should be adapted according to consumer preference, application and commercial requirements.

Does this data prove demand for China-origin matcha?

No. JETRO’s survey focuses primarily on Japanese tea consumption. It provides useful information about matcha formats and consumer behavior, but it does not directly measure demand for China-origin matcha. Buyers evaluating China-origin products should conduct separate market and product testing.

The Bigger Lesson: Southeast Asia Is Not One Matcha Market

The strongest takeaway from JETRO’s 2026 research is not simply that Japanese tea demand is growing.

It is that each market is developing differently.

Thailand is showing strong matcha, convenience and customization behavior.

Vietnam combines deep everyday tea habits with high interest in modern latte and cold formats.

Singapore supports a more mature mix of quality, traditional preparation and café-style consumption. JETRO survey, PDF p. 60

For B2B matcha suppliers and beverage brands, the strategy should therefore not be:

Find one product and sell it across ASEAN.

It should be:

Market → Application → Recipe → Matcha Profile → Sample → Cost → Supply

That is the more practical path from market trend to repeat commercial business.

Explore more Matcha Industry Insights →