From 2008 to 2025 – How SUKI Tea and ESTA Helped Redefine Tea at Caffè Culture
When we first attended Caffè Culture in 2007, SUKI Tea was one of only two tea companies in the building. Back then, coffee dominated the conversation, and tea was still waiting for its seat at the table.
Eighteen years later, it’s a very different picture. Tea now has its own space, its own conversations, and its own energy. And this year, at Caffè Culture 2025, it was brilliant to see that momentum in full swing. Not just through SUKI, but through the collective effort of many passionate people and brands.
This year, the European Speciality Tea Association (ESTA) transformed its presence at the Business Design Centre, Islington, into something far more dynamic. A living, breathing celebration of tea education, sustainability, and innovation.
“I’m proud (and a bit knackered!) to have played a leading role in co-ordinating this year’s show. It’s been months of work, but worth every minute. The energy, the generosity, and the sense of community around speciality tea are something very special.”
Oscar - SUKI TEA co-founder & voluntary board member at ESTA
The ESTA Hub/Tea Village: A Hive of Activity
The ESTA Speciality Tea Hub was exactly that. A tea bar, a buzzing matcha bar, a blind tasting competition, and expert talks all under one roof.
The official show guide described it as “a hands-on space redefining what’s in your cup,” with sessions covering sustainability, sourcing, innovation, and the rise of matcha.
Speakers included Olivia Nottin (Matcha & Beyond), Annabel Kalmar (Tea Rebellion), and SUKI's Co-Founder Oscar Woolley, alongside other passionate tea professionals.
SUKI’s Role and Highlights
Panel: Matcha Rising
Oscar joined Olivia and Annabel for “Matcha Rising: Balancing Demand, Quality & Sustainability.”
It was a sharp, honest discussion about what genuine quality looks like, how to communicate it clearly, and how to secure reliable supply while meeting growing café demand.
The message was simple: matcha is no longer a novelty. It’s here to stay but it needs the same rigour and respect we give to tea and coffee.
Brew It Better – SUKI Demo (Matthew Algie Showroom 233)
Alongside the ESTA hub, SUKI hosted a hands-on session in Matthew Algie’s Showroom: “Brew It Better – SUKI Tea.”
It was all about practical tea service, matcha whisking and batch brewing. How to make tea work on a busy bar, with consistency and efficiency. Matthew Algie and SUKI also hosted the ESTA reception later that evening in the ground floor art gallery for a networking wind down from the fist day.
The ESTA Reception
On Tuesday 30 September, members of ESTA, roasters, café operators, and tea educators came together for a relaxed reception hosted in the BDC art gallery. It was the kind of informal networking that reminds you why this industry works best when people share knowledge, not secrets.
Social Proof & Buzz
Across social media, the ESTA and SUKI accounts captured the energy of matcha whisking, blind tasting, packed panels, and a busy bar from open to close. The Matcha Latte Art Throwdown and Blind Tea Tasting Challenge brought friendly competition and education together in one hit.
To cap it off, SUKI ran a JSW Matcha Bowl Giveaway, crafted by James Stanley Watson (recent winner of The Great British Pottery Throwdown). The lucky winner, @andreaventrice_, was announced.
The Takeaways
1. From Two Tea Brands to a Whole Tea Hub
Looking back to 2008, when SUKI was one of only two tea brands in the building, it’s incredible to see how the landscape has changed. Today, tea sits confidently alongside coffee not competing, but complementing.
2. Matcha Has Moved Centre Stage
The placement of the Matcha Bar, the panel focus, and the show’s official agenda all confirm what we’ve known for years, that matcha isn’t a sideshow anymore. It’s part of the everyday café offer. . . And, similar to coffee, you get what you pay for.
3. SUKI’s Role as Educator
From Oscar’s panel talk to the on-bar demo's, our goal wasn’t to sell, but to share. Helping cafés understand quality, brewing standards, and service consistency is where we can add real value.
4. Collaboration Beats Competition
The ESTA reception, the shared education zone, the tea bar and matcha bar all reminded us that collaboration is the only way this industry grows.
5. Investing in People. Kerrie's Story
This year we also brought along Kerrie, our current student intern and the 10th member of the SUKI team. It’s part of our rolling student programme, now in its 10th year, giving students hands-on trade exposure. Kerry did an incredible job, confidently representing the brand and engaging with existing and potentially new customers all day.
6. Gratitude and Legacy
A heartfelt thanks to the entire ESTA team, who made the whole thing run smoothly. Hats off to David Veal, who’s made it look effortless in past years and gave me the trust to lead it this time. And finally, a big thank you to the Caffè Culture team for their ongoing support of speciality tea.
Did You Know? Matcha Insights & Market Realities
Matcha is still shade-grown (3–4 weeks), hand-picked, and the finest grades are stone-milled into ultra-fine powder.
Because matcha uses the whole leaf, it naturally delivers more antioxidants vs. steeped green tea but that’s just part of its appeal.
What’s changed lately: Prices and supply are under pressure. Strong global demand, weather challenges, aging producers, and constrained yields have driven price increases as high as +75 % for top grades.
The farming population is aging. (Year 2000 saw 56k farmers vs 2023 down to 11.5k farmers) Fewer new growers are entering the matcha space, which limits expansion potential in the near term.
We have seen some brands already adjusting by diversifying sourcing, negotiating longer-term contracts, and reserving buffer stock to mitigate volatility.
What this means
- Yes, matcha costs are rising. But that’s tied to tangible pressures and not speculation.
- Using slightly lower grades in some blends or optimizing recipes can help absorb cost rises without compromising overall brand integrity.
- When your baristas understand the backstory of climate risk, limited supply and the labor intensity they become ambassadors rather than critics. Share these stats.
- This moment calls for trust, not alarm. Quality, consistency, and communication will carry us all through volatility. I'm on my way to Japan this Saturday to speak directly with the factory to secure our 2026 harvest.
Final Thoughts
Caffè Culture 2025 proved that specialty tea isn’t the quiet sibling anymore. It’s part of the main conversation.
#CaffeCulture #SukiTea #Matcha #SpecialityTea #ESTA #TeaEducation #Collaboration #FocusedCalm
We’d love to hear about your favourite moments from Caffè Culture 2025.
Share your experience in the comments or tag us @sukitea, we’d love to see your highlights.
Until the next cup shared,
Rachel.
Suki Tea Team.
