Hello, wake up! Coffee, matcha, mate, and more for every taste

Why do so many people drink matcha latte? Twin brothers Mathias and Michael Hempe from Luckenwalde can't explain the trend, but they're ready for it: "You can tell that the drink is incredibly popular. We had some delivery problems a while ago, but now we're well prepared," says Mathias from Tee-Wunder. Visitors to the Grüne Woche can try strawberry matcha latte at their stand in Hall 6.2.

Shake, stir, sip: the art of matcha latte

Matcha is a finely ground green tea powder from Japan with a high antioxidant content, which is stirred with hot water and a bamboo whisk until a creamy foam forms. By adding milk or a plant-based alternative, as well as various sweeteners such as mango syrup or strawberry puree, a variety of matcha latte creations are produced, which are becoming increasingly popular on social media. “We're already waiting for Grandpa Werner to come by,” says Mathias. On Instagram and TikTok, the nearly 90-year-old retiree says he will keep trying different variations of matcha latte until he finds one he likes. The Berlin native, who tasted Germany's most expensive matcha for the TV show “taff,” still calls the drink “Matsche Latsche” or “green soup,” but maybe Mathias and Michael can convince him, or Sophie Prinz, who will be presenting an oat matcha latte in a can with her food startup Prinzz at Startup Days (Hall 27) starting Tuesday, January 20.

Von Paraguay nach Pinnow: Leonie Tessenows Mate-Abenteuer

Leonie Tessenow präferiert Mate. Aufgewachsen auf einer Rinderfarm in Paraguay kam sie früh mit den getrockneten Blättern des Mate-Strauchs in Berührung. „Der Koffeingehalt von Mate ist etwa vergleichbar mit dem einer kleinen Tasse Kaffee, der Gehalt an Nährstoffen ist vergleichbar mit Matcha“ erklärt Leonie. Als 16-Jährige lernte sie ihren heutigen Mann kennen, einen Rostocker, mit dem sie inzwischen in Pinnow lebt. Mit ihrem Bio-Matekaffee-Pulver verbindet Leonie südamerikanische Kultur und bewussten Lebensstil. Seit einer Woche sie mit ihrem Unternehmen Tekoha am Markt. Auf der Grüne Woche feiert sie in ihre Verkaufspremiere (Halle 5.2).

Lupine power: coffee without beans

Also in Hall 5.2, Michelle Rost from LandDelikat – Die Biorösterei prepares her lupine coffee in a French press pot and hands out cups over the counter. She discovered the plant in 2008 purely by chance. “I was looking for a regional coffee alternative when someone told me that lupins were brewed after the war,” she says. In 2008, she and her partner grew the first plants on Rügen and slowly learned how to process and roast them. Unlike grain coffee, lupine coffee is gluten-free. It is alkaline, sugar-free, and has a slightly malty taste. A new addition to the roastery's range is a variety with caffeine. Guarana and cocoa provide a healthy caffeine kick.

For those who like it classic

And if you prefer to drink coffee in the traditional way, without too many frills, you'll find what you're looking for at the following coffee roasters: Maik Reinhardt (Hall 21b), Besonders (Hall 23), Hannemann (Hall 23) or Roy Coffee (Hall 23). Colombian coffee specialties are available in Hall 10.2 at Café Sierrazul (10.2) or Café Colombia (10.2), among others.