Does Starbucks Use Real Matcha In Its Lattes?

Starbucks is the number one coffee shop in the United States based on sales alone. But Starbucks is much more than a coffee shop; it sells a dizzying variety of beverages, from lattes and cold brew to fruit refreshers. The coffee chain is also known for its matcha, which is 100% real, the company told The Takeout.

"Starbucks sources 100% matcha (shade-grown milled green tea) from some of the oldest producers in the world," a representative for the company said via email. "To ensure the highest quality, Starbucks only uses matcha that is deep blue-green with floral, sweet, umami notes." 

While the company does use real matcha, you can't get a 100% pure matcha drink at Starbucks because the powder comes pre-sweetened with sugar when it arrives to stores, according to the coffee shop's representative. This also means you can't get unsweet matcha at any store in the U.S. 

As a former Starbucks barista and shift supervisor myself, I can confidently say that matcha is a very popular item due to the many ways in which it can be added to drinks. And unlike Starbucks' fall seasonal drinks such as the Pumpkin Spice latte, it is served all year round!

Some simple and popular drinks include the classic matcha latte, which is matcha steamed with milk or served shaken over ice. Another is an iced matcha lemonade, also shaken and served over ice.

Other good matcha-flavored drinks include a Frappuccino topped with whipped cream. And for those who may want a bit more caffeine to start the day, you can always add a shot of espresso to your matcha latte (not something that was ordered often in my experience, but ordered nonetheless). A solid plus is that in any of the drinks with a dairy base, the milk can be substituted for coconut, almond, or soy, all of which are sold at Starbucks.