Why did the Heytea triple-thick matcha upset drinkers?

Heytea launched a Triple-Thick Matcha drink combining matcha tea, thick matcha cheese milk cap, matcha jelly, and thick matcha nuonuo. Early buyers complained the nuonuo was runny rather than chewy, the drink tasted powdery, and the tea flavor stayed weak even when ordered extra strong.

Reviews described the drink as watery and bland compared with the bitter depth and sweet aftertaste that matcha fans expect. The brand appears to have blended milk and syrup for broader tastes. Matcha powder quality and brewing method also affect how a matcha coffee drink performs, which enthusiasts pointed out in the discussion.

Heytea recently launched a new triple-thick matcha product, claiming to combine matcha tea, thick matcha cheese milk cap, matcha jelly, and thick matcha nuonuo among other rich toppings, attracting many matcha fans to try it as soon as possible. However, the first wave of feedback was clearly far from expectations: many consumers complained that the nuonuo texture was runny and not chewy, with some even describing it as hard to swallow; the matcha drink had a strong powdery taste and left the mouth dry and throat coated after drinking; despite being called "triple-thick matcha," the tea flavor was on the weak side, and even asking for extra strength made limited difference. After comparing Heytea's series with the rich, sweet aftertaste they idealize, matcha lovers gave reviews such as "watery" and "weak and bland." The brand may have blended milk and syrup to cater to mass tastes, but this is far removed from the bitter depth and sweet aftertaste that veteran matcha enthusiasts seek.

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Yesterday, Heytea updated the menu of its matcha series, launching a new product called Triple-Thick Matcha. According to official promotion, this new cup, in addition to matcha tea, also includes thick matcha cheese milk cap, matcha jelly, thick matcha nuonuo, and other toppings, making it a veritable "matcha family bucket," which excited users who are passionate about matcha.

After the new product launched, the first wave of tryers could hardly wait to post pictures on social platforms and share the clearly layered drink they had received. But when they took their first sip, the full expectations they had for the new product instantly turned into disappointment.

They said that the matcha nuonuo in this new product is actually matcha-flavored mochi made by Heytea staff. In some people's impression, mochi should have a chewy,糯叽叽 texture. But in reality, when the tryers sucked up the thick matcha nuonuo from the drink, they could not help exclaiming that this topping's peculiar texture was somewhat hard to accept, "like a mouthful of thick phlegm," "not chewy at all," "runny."

In addition, although most matcha drinks on the market are basically made by brewing matcha powder, enthusiasts who have studied matcha say that different qualities of matcha powder and different brewing methods will make the drink's taste differ. Comparing other brands' matcha products, most people felt that Heytea's new product had an obvious powdery texture when drunk, "mouth feels dry after drinking," while some said it left their throat a bit coated after drinking.

Many buyers also said that because the new product was named "Triple-Thick Matcha," they thought the drink would add "triple matcha powder," making its tea flavor strong. But after actually trying it, they found that the "triple" in this new cup perhaps did not mean "triple matcha powder." Some users said that after drinking it, the matcha flavor of the new product did not quite match their expectations, the tea flavor was on the weak side, and even if they requested "extra matcha" when ordering, it would not change the taste much.

Matcha drinks have long been loved by consumers for their bitter tea aroma. Enthusiasts will rush over when they hear that a certain brand has launched a matcha-related product, place orders to try it, and look for a matcha-flavored drink that suits their preferences.

Heytea, which has recently focused on developing matcha products, naturally attracted their attention, and some matcha heads even tried all the matcha-related drinks currently listed on the official menu in one go recently and compared them, sharing their views on Heytea's matcha series with other like-minded people.

Among them, most users believed that although Heytea put a lot of thought into its matcha products, updating ingredients and recipes, perhaps because milk, syrup, and various toppings were added to the drinks, the bitter taste of matcha was not as strong as enthusiasts expected, so much so that some people labeled Heytea's matcha series with comments such as "watery," "weak and bland," and "bland."

Matcha lovers said they are passionate about matcha's strong tea flavor and love the sweet aftertaste after bitterness, but Heytea's matcha products seem to be a different thing from the matcha they pursue. However, some consumers also believed that when brands launch such products, they may want to cater to more users' taste preferences, which is why they use milk, syrup, and the like to soften the taste and let more people accept the astringent, bitter tea flavor.

Image source: Xiaohongshu

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(Front Street Coffee recommendation: If you want to experience a rich, sweet aftertaste of matcha flavor, the matcha series products selected by Front Street Coffee are worth a try.)

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.