The bustling café culture of New York City has witnessed countless ventures come and go, but Hannah Habes’ Matchaful stands apart. At just 25, Habes has transformed her passion for matcha—the finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea—into a thriving business that embodies the Japanese concept of “ikigai,” or life’s purpose.
“I discovered matcha during a particularly stressful period in college,” Habes told me during our conversation at her flagship SoHo location. “What began as a personal wellness ritual quickly revealed itself as my ikigai—where passion, mission, profession, and vocation intersect perfectly.”
This philosophical foundation has propelled Matchaful beyond the typical beverage startup trajectory. Since launching in 2018, the company has expanded to three physical locations across Manhattan and Brooklyn, while their e-commerce platform now ships to all 50 states. Industry analysts estimate the company’s revenue has doubled annually, now approaching $3.7 million.
The timing couldn’t have been better. The global matcha market is projected to reach $4.83 billion by 2028, according to Fortune Business Insights. This growth coincides with increasing consumer preference for functional beverages with health benefits—matcha contains approximately three times the antioxidants of regular green tea and provides a more sustained energy boost than coffee.
What sets Matchaful apart in this growing market is Habes’ commitment to authenticity and direct sourcing. Unlike many competitors who rely on wholesale suppliers, she established direct relationships with family farms in Uji, Japan—a region renowned for producing the highest quality matcha for over 800 years.
“Each harvest requires incredible precision,” explains Habes. “The farms we partner with shade their tea plants for three weeks before harvest, increasing chlorophyll and amino acid content. The leaves are then hand-picked, steamed, dried, and stone-ground to achieve that vibrant green powder and distinctive umami flavor profile.”
This attention to detail comes at a premium. Matchaful’s ceremonial grade matcha sells for $39 for a 30-gram tin—significantly higher than mass-market alternatives. Yet customers seem willing to pay for quality and transparency.
“The pandemic actually accelerated our growth,” Habes notes. “As people sought immune-boosting routines they could practice at home, our online sales increased by 267% between March and December 2020.”
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Small Business Credit Survey confirms this wasn’t the norm—approximately 41% of small food and beverage businesses reported significant negative impacts during the same period.
Finance professor Melissa Jenkins from NYU Stern School of Business suggests Matchaful’s success illustrates a broader trend. “We’re witnessing a generation of entrepreneurs who build brands around purpose rather than product alone,” Jenkins explains. “Their business models integrate personal values, sustainability, and community—which proves remarkably resilient during economic uncertainty.”
Habes’ approach to financing also defied convention. Rather than pursuing traditional venture capital, she bootstrapped initial operations and later secured a combination of SBA loans and investment from mission-aligned angel investors, maintaining majority ownership and decision-making authority.
This control has allowed her to prioritize sustainability initiatives that might have been deemed too costly by profit-focused investors. Matchaful’s packaging is 100% compostable or recyclable, and the company invests 3% of profits into environmental restoration projects in regions affected by climate change.
The company’s workforce reflects its foundational philosophy as well. With 27 employees across retail and operations, Matchaful maintains unusually high retention rates in an industry known for turnover. Employees receive comprehensive benefits, including health insurance, paid wellness days, and profit-sharing—rare for businesses of this size.
“The ikigai concept extends to how we structure our team,” says Habes. “We want everyone to find meaning in their work here, not just collect a paycheck.”
Customer loyalty tells a similar story. According to marketing analytics firm Retail Radar, Matchaful boasts a 78% repeat purchase rate within three months—nearly double the industry average for specialty beverages.
Looking ahead, Habes plans measured expansion while maintaining quality control. “We’re exploring select wholesale partnerships with like-minded businesses and potentially adding two more retail locations by 2026,” she reveals. “But growth for growth’s sake has never been our objective.”
As our interview concludes, I watch Habes personally demonstrate the traditional preparation method to a first-time customer—whisking the bright green powder with precision and explaining its history and benefits. It’s this hands-on approach and authentic connection that larger competitors struggle to replicate.
For young entrepreneurs seeking their own path to success, Matchaful offers a compelling case study in building a business aligned with personal values. By anchoring her venture in the concept of ikigai, Habes has created something increasingly rare in today’s commercial landscape—a business that nurtures both bottom line and soul.
