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From its origins as a sacred Japanese cultural tradition rooted in Zen Buddhism, matcha has evolved into one of the world’s most popular coffee alternatives.
In the UK, plant-based cafés have been whisking up classic matcha lattes for years, but the rise in demand for this bright green, earthy drink means you can now find specialist matcha brands and vegan matcha drinks with multiple added flavors in supermarkets and high-street coffee shops.
Read more: McDonald’s Partners With Alpro For Matcha-Themed Campaign
Vegan matcha in the UK
For this roundup, we’ve looked at all of the vegan matcha drinks currently available in the UK, including ready-to-drink options, matcha powders, and drinks prepped in cafés. Some products are explicitly labeled vegan, while others simply appear to be from plant-based ingredients (and therefore may carry different allergen or cross-contamination information). Make sure to check the label before purchasing.
Tesco Finest Matcha Oat Latte
Tesco’s own Finest Matcha Oat Latte combines matcha with an oat-based drink for a ready-to-drink option that can be enjoyed chilled or used to make a latte at home.
It’s worth noting that, although none of the listed ingredients are obviously animal-derived, Tesco does not explicitly label this drink as vegan, but rather as “suitable for vegetarians.” In fact, under the allergy information, Tesco notes that it “may contain milk,” so anyone following a strict vegan diet should check the latest packaging or contact Tesco before buying.
The 250 ml can costs £2.00.
Oatly Matcha Latte
Oatly’s Matcha Latte fuses its oat drink with matcha green tea and a hint of vanilla. The 1L carton can be kept in the fridge and poured straight into a glass, over ice or heated and frothed for a hot latte. It was launched in the UK just last year.
The drink is free from milk and soya, has added calcium, and contains 1.5 percent sugar and 0.8 percent organic matcha green tea powder.
Tesco and Sainsbury’s currently list the 1L carton at £2.95.
Oatly Strawberry Matcha Latte
If you’re into matcha that’s on the sweeter side, Oatly’s Strawberry Matcha Latte combines its oat base with strawberry flavor and matcha.
Oatly recommends serving the drink chilled, either on its own or over ice. The company says the drink contains no dairy or soya and has added calcium. It contains two percent sugar, and oats make up nine per cent of the drink, while matcha green tea powder makes up 0.8 per cent.
You can purchase the 1L carton of this Oatly drink at Tesco for £2.95.
Califia Farms Matcha Latte
This matcha latte is a ready-to-drink blend of real matcha and almond drink. It’s designed to be poured over ice, which makes it the perfect option when you want an iced matcha without having to prepare one yourself. Unfortunately, the unsweetened variety of this drink is not yet available in the UK.
The 750ml bottle is labeled plant-based and suitable for vegans. Tesco and Ocado currently list it at £2.95.
Alpro Matcha Coconut
Alpro has put a tropical spin on the classic matcha latte with its Matcha Coconut drink. It combines matcha green tea with coconut and is designed to be enjoyed either hot and frothy or chilled over ice.
The 1L drink is 100 percent plant-based and contains matcha alongside coconut milk. It also provides calcium, iodine, and vitamins B2, B9, and D2.
The 1L drink costs £2.75 at Tesco.
MOMA Oat Pistachio Matcha
Pistachio is another trendy flavor that has made its way into the matcha world, and MOMA’s Oat Pistachio Matcha combines the earthy flavor of real matcha with a subtly sweet touch of pistachio.
The 750ml drink is made with an oat base and one percent matcha green tea powder. It’s suitable for vegans and can be enjoyed chilled over ice or gently heated.
Waitrose currently lists it at £2.50.
PerfectTed
This brand is all about matcha, which makes PerfectTed a slightly different proposition from the supermarket oat drinks above. Its range includes Japanese ceremonial-grade matcha powder alongside flavored options designed to be turned into drinks at home.
PerfectTed’s original matcha is top quality, made with 100 percent ceremonial-grade matcha powder, while the range includes flavors such as vanilla, strawberry, blueberry and pistachio. These powders can be whisked with water before adding your choice of plant-based milk to make a latte. PerfectTed states that its products are suitable for vegans, and the brand also sells flavored matcha sachets, a practical option for a drink that’s easy to whip up. Its vanilla matcha powder, for example, is made with ceremonial-grade matcha and is labeled vegan.
PerfectTed is available at supermarkets and stores throughout the UK, Europe, and North America, and can be purchased online.
HumaniTea Cold Brew Matcha Latte
HumaniTea’s approach is slightly different. This company brews ready-made matcha with oat milk rather than selling it in powder form.
Its Matcha Oat Milk Green Tea Latte is a ready-to-drink, chilled option made with premium Japanese matcha. The company describes its drinks as 100 percent vegan, lightly sweetened with organic agave nectar and made with real brewed tea rather than concentrate or extract.
The matcha latte comes in 250ml cans that sell for £2.50 on the HumaniTea website, including multipacks for stocking up at home.
Cheerful Buddha Matcha Latte
For those who prefer to make their matcha at home, Cheerful Buddha’s Matcha Latte is a powdered blend that contains ceremonial-grade matcha, organic coconut milk, vanilla, reishi mushroom extract, and ashwagandha. It has no added sugar.
The vegan-certified powder contains 1.5g of matcha per serving and can be mixed with hot water or a plant-based drink. Of course, it can also be served over ice. Cheerful Buddha says each pack contains around 40 servings and its website currently lists it at £15.99.
Naturya Matcha Superfood Latte
Naturya’s Matcha Superfood Latte is another powdered option with additional superpowers. The blend combines matcha with coconut milk powder, cinnamon, inulin powder for fiber, calcium from seaweed, and live cultures to support gut health. It contains sugar.
It can be prepared hot or iced by mixing around 25g of the powder with 250ml of your favorite hot milk. One pack contains eight servings, and Naturya currently lists this product at £9.
Vegan matcha drinks to order in UK cafés
If you’d rather steer clear of whisking and frothing and prefer to leave the matcha concocting to the pros, the UK offers plenty of high-street options too. Just remember that recipes, milk options and vegan availability can vary, so it’s worth double-checking the menu or allergen information when ordering.
Pret
Pret offers both hot and iced matcha options. Its Iced Matcha Latte is made with ceremonial-grade matcha green tea and a coconut milk alternative and is explicitly listed as suitable for vegans. The drink contains rice flour and sea salt.
If you’re looking for an iced matcha with a creamy, coconutty twist, this might just be it.
Starbucks
Matcha has secured a permanent spot on Starbucks’ drink menu, with plant-based options including the classic Matcha Latte and Iced Matcha Latte.
For a vegan version, choose a plant-based milk, avoid whipped cream, and check the current allergen information when ordering, as recipes and available options can vary. For more info about plant-based food and drinks at Starbucks, check out this handy resource from animal rights organization PETA.
Costa Coffee
Costa offers a number of matcha drinks, including its Matcha Latte and Iced Matcha Latte, alongside more elaborate seasonal or flavored options.
One of its more colorful choices is the Strawberry Coconut Matcha Iced Latte, which combines matcha green tea with strawberry sauce and coconut. Costa explicitly lists this drink as vegan.
Blank Street Coffee
Blank Street offers a variety of colorful matcha combinations, with options including the classic Matcha Latte, Iced Blueberry Matcha, Hot Blueberry Matcha, Cinnamon Bun Matcha, White Chocolate Matcha, and Strawberry Shortcake Matcha.
If you’re looking beyond the traditional green tea-and-milk combination, Blank Street’s flavored options look beautifully artistic and offer a sweeter take on this drink.
Read more: Matcha Green Tea: Superfood Or Just A Fad?
Itsu
Itsu’s matcha menu includes plenty of choices for anyone who likes experimenting with flavors. Depending on the current menu, options include Matcha Latte, Vanilla Matcha Latte, Salted Caramel Matcha Latte, and Blueberry Matcha Latte. There are also iced versions of these drinks, making it possible to switch things up depending on the external and internal weather.
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