We searched for a long time. For a matcha that tastes good, is high quality, accessibly priced, and whose values align with ours. We found it. It's called PerfectTed.
To understand why this matters, it's worth taking a step back. Matcha didn't appear out of nowhere on café menus around the world. Behind this trend lies a real shift in what people are looking for from their daily energy. PerfectTed is part of that shift - and not by accident.
Matcha is no longer a niche
Just a few years ago, matcha was a niche product. Associated mainly with Japan, the tea ceremony, and a small circle of enthusiasts. Today it is one of the fastest-growing segments in the beverage world.
In London, Berlin, and Copenhagen, matcha has stopped being a curiosity. It has become a parallel category to coffee — with its own place on the menu, its own audience, and its own consumption logic. Cafés that were hesitant to introduce it a few years ago now treat it as an obvious part of their offer.
This is not a passing trend. It is a structural shift happening slowly and consistently. And its source lies not in aesthetics or social media, but in how it actually works.
Where the need for a different kind of energy came from
More and more people are looking for something that works differently from coffee. It's not about stronger stimulation, but about the stability of that stimulation. About focus without irritability. About energy that doesn't end in a sudden crash at 2pm.
Matcha doesn't replace coffee. For most people it works alongside it — as a morning choice for those who don't get on well with espresso, or as an afternoon alternative for those who want focus without another caffeine spike. In this sense, matcha is no longer a trend — it's becoming a daily ritual.
What the combination of caffeine and L-theanine actually does
L-theanine and caffeine — how they work together
L-theanine is an amino acid found naturally in green tea leaves. On its own, it has a relaxing effect — it raises levels of GABA, serotonin, and dopamine without causing drowsiness. Combined with caffeine, it modifies how caffeine works: it slows absorption, softens side effects (trembling hands, irritability, sharp energy crashes), and extends the period of focus. Clinical studies confirm that this combination improves attention, accuracy, and cognitive control more effectively than either substance alone.
A study published in Nutritional Neuroscience found that the combination of L-theanine and caffeine significantly improved the speed and accuracy of attention-demanding tasks both 60 and 90 minutes after consumption. Importantly, the side effects of caffeine taken alone — including increased distractibility — were notably reduced when combined with L-theanine.
It is this mechanism — not the aesthetics of the drink or its colour — that makes matcha appealing to people with ADHD, those who are sensitive to caffeine, and those who simply feel worse after espresso than before it.
Where PerfectTed comes from — the brand story
Behind PerfectTed is a very specific story. Its co-founder, Marisa Poster, wasn't looking for another energy product. She was looking for a solution for herself.
Coffee and energy drinks, instead of helping, were only worsening her ADHD and anxiety. Instead of focus came tension. Instead of stability, more spikes and equally sharp crashes. Matcha turned out to be something entirely different. It worked more calmly, more evenly. From that experience, in 2021, at a kitchen table with brothers Levi and Ted Levenfiche, PerfectTed was born.
PerfectTed founders — Marisa Poster, Teddie Levenfiche and Levi Levenfiche
The mission is simple: "spreading positive energy through matcha" — clean energy, without a cost to mental health. Built from the start with people in mind who were being overlooked by the energy drink market: women, neurodivergent individuals, and those for whom typical stimulants simply don't work.
Japanese Ceremonial Grade Matcha — tradition and quality
PerfectTed Ceremonial Grade matcha is 100% Japanese-origin matcha green tea powder, selected for its vibrant colour and smooth, naturally sweet umami profile. Traditional matcha production methods are prioritised throughout — including pre-harvest shading and careful processing — to protect flavour, colour, and quality in the cup.
The Yabukita cultivar forms the base, complemented by Okumidori and Saemidori where they suit the profile; each chosen for the specific character it brings to the cup. Before harvest, leaves are shade-grown for 20–30 days using traditional canopy methods. This slow light deprivation concentrates L-theanine and chlorophyll — giving the matcha its depth, vivid colour, and that distinctly smooth energy.
Leaves are processed into tencha and stone-milled in small batches, kept as close to shipment as possible to lock in freshness.
Dragons' Den — and what happened next
In 2023, PerfectTed appeared on the British show Dragons' Den. The result was extraordinary: all five investors made offers. They went on to partner with Steven Bartlett and Peter Jones, who together took a 5% stake. The brand's valuation exceeded £140 million.
It wasn't a breakthrough moment in itself, but a confirmation of what the brand had been building from the start: a product with a real story, concrete value, and an audience that genuinely needed it.
PerfectTed in the Daily Mirror — one of the fastest-growing matcha brands in Europe
Today PerfectTed has sold over 10 million products. Can we have this higher up?
The brand has also won the Great Taste Award, one of the most prestigious accolades in the British food industry. For many guests arriving from Western Europe, it is already a familiar brand before they even see it on the menu.
What sets PerfectTed apart as a product
PerfectTed Ceremonial is 100% pure, non-GMO matcha, with no additives or preservatives. The flavour is full and pronounced — more intense than many ceremonial matchas available in Europe, but free from the sharp bitterness that often puts new users off.
It works well both prepared traditionally with water alone, and as a base for milk-based drinks. In a café setting, this matters: one matcha that performs in both formats simplifies the offer without any quality compromise.
Currently available in Poland in two sizes: 100g and 250g. The 250g format offers the lowest cost per serving among ceremonial matchas in the JAVA Coffee Roasters lineup — which matters at high volume for anyone who takes matcha seriously.
How PerfectTed joined the JAVA Coffee lineup
Not every brand makes it into our offer. Before deciding to introduce PerfectTed, we tested it in our own JAVA Café at Fabryka Norblina, in the everyday environment of our regular guests.
For thirty days we ran blind tests, without informing guests of the change. 7 out of 10 people noticed no difference. 3 out of 10 said directly that it tasted better. That was enough for us.
The decision to introduce this brand was not a response to a trend. It came from experience — from how the product behaves in the cup and how it is received by the people who come back to us every day. In our café, one matcha-based drink sells for every four coffees. That is not a number you can ignore.
In Poland, JAVA Coffee Roasters is the exclusive distributor of PerfectTed. For guests from Western Europe — from London, Berlin, Amsterdam — it is a brand they may already know before they see it on the menu. It enters the offer not as a novelty, but as a brand with a story and a community behind it.
Who is PerfectTed for
If coffee doesn't work for you but you're looking for a morning ritual with caffeine — ceremonial grade matcha delivers stable, sustained energy. L-theanine makes a real difference here: focus without irritability, without a sudden crash.
If you already know matcha and are looking for a brand with a clear flavour profile and documented quality — we have you covered. PerfectTed is not just another unknown brand in attractive packaging. It is a product with a story, a Great Taste Award, and wide distribution across Europe.
If you run a café and want to add matcha to your menu: PerfectTed is a brand your guests from Western Europe may already know. Available exclusively in Poland through JAVA Coffee Roasters, in 100g and 250g formats, with guaranteed supply continuity.
FAQ — frequently asked questions about PerfectTed
What is PerfectTed?
PerfectTed is a British ceremonial grade matcha brand, founded in 2021 by Marisa Poster, Levi and Ted Levenfiche. The matcha is sourced from Japan. The brand has won a Great Taste Award and is present in over 22,000 points of sale worldwide, including Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Whole Foods. The best-selling matcha in Europe.
Is PerfectTed available in Poland?
Yes. In Poland, the exclusive distributor of PerfectTed is JAVA Coffee Roasters.
Where does PerfectTed matcha come from?
PerfectTed Ceremonial is sourced from Japan — one of the oldest and most respected matcha-growing regions in the world. The leaves are hand-picked, shade-grown before harvest, and stone-ground. 100% pure, non-GMO, no additives.
What is the difference between ceremonial grade, traditional, and culinary matcha?
Ceremonial grade matcha comes from the first spring harvest — it is richer in L-theanine and chlorophyll, has a gentler flavour and a more intense, vibrant colour. It is intended for direct consumption with water or milk. Traditional grade comes from the first and second harvest — it is a high-quality everyday matcha, excellent for drinking with water or milk, and offers great value for money. Culinary grade matcha comes from later harvests, has a more bitter flavour profile, and is used primarily for cooking and baking.
Can matcha replace coffee?
Not as a direct substitute — it is a different drink with a different effect profile. For many people, PerfectTed works alongside coffee: as a morning choice for those who don't get on with espresso, or as an afternoon alternative. The energising effect is calmer and more sustained, thanks to the presence of L-theanine.
How does PerfectTed taste compared to other ceremonial matchas?
The flavour is more intense and fuller than many ceremonial matchas available in Europe. No sharp bitterness. It works well both solo with water and in milk-based drinks. In a 30-day blind test conducted at JAVA Café at Fabryka Norblina, 3 out of 10 regular guests rated it as better tasting than the previously served brand.
Sources
Owen, G.N. et al. (2008). The combined effects of L-theanine and caffeine on cognitive performance and mood. Nutritional Neuroscience, 11(4), 193–198. PubMed: 18681988.
Kahathuduwa, C.N. et al. (2021). The Cognitive-Enhancing Outcomes of Caffeine and L-theanine: A Systematic Review. PMC8794723.
Giesbrecht, T. et al. (2010). The combination of L-theanine and caffeine improves cognitive performance and increases subjective alertness. Nutritional Neuroscience, 13(6), 283–290.
PerfectTed — brand, product and history: perfectted.com
Guild of Fine Food — Great Taste Award: gff.co.uk
JAVA Coffee Roasters — internal sales guide, Matcha Sales Guide 2026.
