We recently connected with Brenna Hirshorn and have shared our conversation below.

Brenna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

My mission is to share premium matcha with people everywhere. For almost a decade, matcha has been an essential part of my daily routine. It’s a part of my life that I practice while traveling as it is so grounding, provides a sustained energy source and brings me the most joy. It’s become a permanent and important part of my packing list, with me on all of my adventures. Whether it’s a plane, a train or an automobile, I’ve been there with matcha. In 2023, I planned my dream trip and traveled to Japan. I left with both a suitcase and heart filled with matcha, beautiful memories and experiences. I concluded my adventure in Japan with a knowing that I was meant to travel back soon.

As my palate started to expand, matcha at the average café wasn’t doing the job. I began ordering matcha online to prepare at home. Naturally, my daily matcha became a bit of an obsession. Towards the end of 2023, I traveled home to the east coast to visit family for the holidays with my matcha (per usual). Already knowing that I was coming home to no high-quality matcha anywhere in sight, I made it my mission to source the best matcha to all. I began sampling the finest matcha straight from Japan and picking up on the different aromas, tasting notes, colors and textures. Over 100 matcha tastings later, Ryokō was born.

Brenna, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am based in Southern California but do everything I can to travel as much as possible. I love meeting people from all over the world while exploring different cities, cuisines and cultures. I’m currently traveling through Norway and Iceland in search of their best matcha offering, although I still prefer the matcha in my backpack! It has been so fulfilling and exciting to introduce them to high-quality matcha, as it’s not as popular or widely available here. The concept of Ryokō comes from my past adventures traveling with my favorite matcha when I knew there wouldn’t be any worth paying for at my destination. Unlike other matcha, Ryokō is smooth and doesn’t need added sweeteners to taste good. Oftentimes finding the best matcha can be pricy and feel impossible which is why I have been working endlessly to source a high quality matcha that I can enjoy daily, too. I’ve seen a consistent problem with the quality of matcha being offered at cafés, hotels and markets. Ryokō is the solution to this problem. I made it my mission to source the best matcha from Japan for the matcha curious and matcha connoisseurs alike. My purpose is to educate others on our matcha’s cultivar, region and the proper preparation methods. We are excited to offer matcha sticks and matcha tins that can be enjoyed at home, while camping, at the office and traveling… anywhere!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In the sampling process, I tried over 100 different matchas. Most of them were bitter, chalky, dull in color or leaving a weird after taste. There were many days I would try upwards of ten different matchas leaving myself far too caffeinated, but I was resilient!

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The most effective strategy has been making personal connections with as many individuals as possible while sharing samples. Feedback has been greatly appreciated and overwhelmingly positive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ryokomatcha.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryokomatcha?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==