A 25 -year -old child uses a Japanese concept to develop Matcha works

Angel Zheng relies on the Japanese principle of “IKigai” to transform her passion for Matcha – a unique dried green tea and long -term health benefits – in building what you hope to be a distinctive home brand in the future.

At only 25 years old, Zheng has already owned at least five companies – six, if you calculate its past as a influence on social media. It may be its last endeavor to serve as its highest expression yet Ecjay No less than the authority of the Japanese government that defines it as a “passion that gives value and joy to life“

Zheng started its first two companies-a brand for women’s e-commerce and registration studio-while she was still getting a Bachelor’s degree in Business College in New York. The clothing brand was a branch of her love for fashion, while the registration studio appeared when its co -founder, a music product, only used its area once or twice a week.

In the following years, Cheng closed her first projects, using profits to open Omakase Sushi Bars Moko and Shiso. Two wonderful food sites got Cheng and its co -founder spot On the FORBES 30 Under 30 food and drink list last year.

But despite making surfing already on the scene of New York fans in New York, Zheng is far from finishing. The last unilateral endeavor is Ishiki MatchaThe Motion Mozi cafe is located in the middle of the modern East Village neighborhood in Manhattan.

Ishiki Matcha is not modest from the outside – as it shares the same space that indicates the other Zheng in operational works, Moko, and there is no sign anywhere on the store interface that indicates its existence. However, if things go like Zheng plans, the cafe may be zero for the sprawling Matcha Foundation.

“When you think about coffee at the present time, you have those names like Lavazza, Illy and La Colombe. But when you close your eyes and think about Matcha, this is so new that there are no traditional brands yet. This is what I want to be,” Cenbc told CNBC.

Popular among young people

More than an attempt to jump on the Macha cart, Ishiki appeared from the Scheng’s love for the drink.

Macha, a powder made of ground green tea leaves, originated in China but was refined in its current form in Japan. Its popularity has increased in recent years, especially between the generation of the millennium and young generations. Japanese Macha production in 2023 reached 4,176 tons – more than three times more than 1471 tons in 2010, The Times mentioned JapanQuoting data from the Ministry of Agriculture. The same article quoted Kametani tea, saying that it has increased its production by 10 % every year since 2019 to keep pace with the demand.

On Instagram, 8.8 million publications are linked to the abyss mark #Matcha; On Tiktok, 2 million. Celebrities from Two Leba to Gwenith Paltrow to Jessica Alba They publicly agreed to the drink and turning it into the cornerstone of the health and wellness movement.

Macha’s popularity swelled to the extent that the demand for the offer is now outperformed, which leads to a Macha shortage. Last fall, two well -known companies of Kyoto, IPPODO and Marukyu Koyamaen have strict.

The problems of this supply chain, along with the recent definitions that threaten higher prices on imports, have caused many headaches in the past few weeks. However, she is still steadfast in her mission to make Ezchiki Macha in one day of family names.

Zen and purpose

Cheng, a Chinese migrant of the first generation, grew up on Macha, and the credit for tea is shown with the help of bringing Zen in her chaotic agenda and entrepreneurship.

“Life requires a lot of you – school, work, family, relationships, friendships. It is important to have columns,” she explained. “Ishiki” means one column. You must have columns in your day shining – such as going to the gym, doing skin care protein at night, and making sure you have your time in the morning to make a match, or come here and make Matcha morning every day for you. “

Cheng explained that these recent works are feeling different from her previous projects – mainly because she believed that she finally found her invitation. In following something really passionate about, Cheng noticed her place.

“When your love and heart pour something, this is a very big difference, especially when something you consume is like food,” she said. “I have my goal. There is this Japanese philosophy that I consider to be in its heart and live every day, and it is called” IKIGAI “. This means you find the thing you prefer, which will help most people and bring you more joyful, and make the world more enjoyable, and everything else will follow – success.

Zheng for the first time reached the idea of ​​opening the Matcha Café on New Year’s Day for the year 2024, when thinking about its decisions for this year. During a journey to Japan shortly after, it happened that it was sitting at dinner next to the head of communications at the Macha farm.

Since its appearance early last year, Zheng has expanded the presence of ISSHIKI Matcha by stimulating the careful event and digital brands. She told CNBC, why still keep pace with the effect from time to time.

“It helps a lot with work,” Cheng added. “I feel that I-with the social media and the landscapes in which we live in now-get a digital presence and the digital currency with the same value as the existence of the reality of life.”

ISSHIKI serves between 100 to 300 customers per day between 8 am and 3 pm, and Moko officially takes the space that starts at 5 pm, which serves fresh sushi sometimes up to 150 customers.

Digital and physical presence works side by side, because Zheng publishes the many events that it hosts in ISSHIKI through its social media. Increasing the vision of local Asian society is important for Zheng, and many of their events are free and open to the public. Many of the brands that you collaborated were owned or Asian concentrated.

The events recently hosted by this category are suitable, including the Lunar New Year’s party and Valentine’s Day emanating with the Asian dating application. Other events ranged from Matcha Lessons in the morning to delirium with DJ local to Capsules A launch group to tea tasting classes. The Zheng effect on the New York-ISSHIKI-ISSHIKI-ISSHIKI-has led to hosting or meeting the brands including UNIQLO, MasterCard, Puma and Goop.

Struggle with Fomo

Cheng attributes its success in preparing, working hard and luck – which sometimes comes in the form of the right person’s interview at the right time.

Earlier this year, the next Battle of Cheng was achieved after the owner of the lemon juice company packed in bottles, Fortunate bullAnother brand for the Asian drink entered a café to photograph some of its products for its own dinner. Cheng expressed interest in entering the ready space for the drink, and the two quickly cooperated in the new lemon juice packed in bottles.

While Zheng already sells Matcha powders wholesale, the motivation behind the ready -to -drink version was to create an easy and accessible product. Cheng said that Matcha Lemonade, which was launched a month ago, is already available in 120 stores, and aims to connect Isshiki as it indicates Matcha like La Colombe in coffee.

When it is part of being a successful employer that you know, Cheng said it is not necessarily necessary to suffer from fear of being lost or fomo. In the past, the brand partnerships have been found through the other attendees in various events. In fact, she got her first training period after confronting the founder of a magazine company by Chance. The two stopped chatting after they realized that they were wearing the same fragrance.

Cheng laughed, saying: “Literally, your network is your pure wealth. It gives me anxiety of paralysis to miss anything.”

It also pushes to jump with unique opportunities when it arises. Last fall, ISSHIKI MATCA virus went after Cheng was able to do so Import a shipment of the famous Olympic Cake Cakes It is also important that perseverance in the United States is important, as is when the Covid-19 omicron-19 variable across New York City, just one month after the official opening of Moko.

Now Cheng is at a stage of her career, where she can advise project owners for the first time, and asks them to embody confidence and boldness. Cheng said this was particularly important as an entrepreneur: believing in her capabilities, and she does not sell herself short and driving any market opportunities. Sometimes, Zheng found that it is useful when it meets potential business partners to not reveal her life in advance.

“The best part of being Asian is that I can look at the same age from 16 to 50,” she said jokingly. “So you don’t know how old I have, and I have always carried myself this way.”