The 25-year-old uses Japanese concept to grow the matcha business

Angel Zen relies on the Japanese principles of “Ikigai” to turn her passion into matcha (powdered green tea with unique tastes and health benefits) and builds what she hopes to become the iconic home brand of the future.

At just 25 years old, Zheng already owns at least five businesses. Count six businesses as social media influencers. Her latest efforts may serve as the best expression of her silly, rather than the Japanese government defines as “a passion that gives value and joy to life.”

Zheng launched her first two businesses (ecommerce women’s clothing brands and recording studios) while earning her bachelor’s degree in business from Baruch College in New York. The clothing brand was a derivative of her love for fashion, but the recording studio came when she realized that her co-founder, the music producer, used his space only once or twice a week.

Over the next few years, Zheng closed her first venture and used profits to open Omakase Sushi Bars Moko and Shiso. The two fine dining restaurants won Zheng and her co-founders last year a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 List.

But despite the waves already in the New York foodie scene, Zheng is far from the end. Her latest solo endeavor is Isshiki Matcha, a cafe specializing in matcha, located in the middle of Manhattan’s trendy East Village district.

Isshiki matcha is off-the-shelf – it shares the same space with Moko, Zheng’s only other operating business. There are no signs of its presence in the store. But as things go as Zheng plans, the cafe could one day become zero of the vast matcha enterprise.

“When you think about coffee now, there are names like Lavazza, Illy, La Colombe, etc. But when you close your eyes and think about matcha, it’s a new market so much that it’s not a heritage brand yet.

Popular among young adults

More than trying to jump into the matcha bandwagon, Isshiki emerged from Zheng’s own love for drinks.

Matcha, a powder made from ground green tea leaves, was born in China, but has been refined to its current form in Japan. Its popularity has been rising in recent years, especially among millennials and younger generations. In 2023, Japan’s matcha production was 4,176 tons. This is three times the amount of 1,471 tons in 2010, and Japan cited data from the Ministry of Agriculture. In the same article, Kametani Tea said it has increased production by about 10% each year since 2019 to meet demand.

On Instagram, 8.8 million posts are associated with the hashtag #matcha. On Tiktok, it’s 2 million yen. Celebrities from Dua Lipa to Gwyneth Paltrow and Jessica Alba publicly approved the drink and turned it into a cornerstone of health and wellness moves.

The popularity of matcha has escalated until demand exceeds supply and leads to a lack of matcha. Last fall, two famous Kyoto tea companies, Ipupodo and Koyama Enmaru, set strict purchase restrictions.

These supply chain issues, coupled with recent tariffs that threaten rising prices for imports, have caused many headaches in the past few weeks. Nevertheless, she remains unshakable in her mission to one day make Isshiki matcha a common name.

Zen and purpose

A first-generation Chinese immigrant, Zheng grew up with matcha and believes in tea by helping to guide Zen to a chaotic entrepreneurial schedule.

“School, work, family, relationships, friendships, life demands so much from you. It’s important to have a pillar,” she explained. “Isshiki” means one pillar. There should be a pillar on your property. Try to go to the gym, have a skincare routine in the evening, or have time to make matcha in the morning, or come here to make matcha every day. ”

This latest business feels different from previous ventures. Mostly because she believes she has finally found her calling. And in pursuing that she is truly passionate about, Zheng realizes that the work is falling into place.

“When you pour your love and heart into something, it’s something you consume like food, that’s a huge difference,” she said. “I have a purpose. There is this Japanese philosophy that I live with my heart every day, and it is called “Ikigai.” It is that you will find the best, if it brings you the most joy, brings you the most joy, and the world is the most joy, and everything else chases money and success, you will never have a fulfilling life. ”

Zheng first came up with the idea of ​​opening a matcha cafe on New Year’s Day 2024. Soon on a trip to Japan, she happened to be sitting at dinner next to the communications manager at the matcha farm.

Since debuting early last year, Zheng has expanded the presence of Isshiki Matcha through careful event curation and digital branding. The brand’s online footprint can make and break it, she told CNBC. That’s why she’s still about how it affects from time to time.

“It’s going to be a big help for the business,” added Zheng. “We feel that having a digital presence and digital currency in social media and the landscape we live in today is just as valuable as it actually is.”

Isshiki serves 100-300 customers daily from 8am to 3pm, officially taking over the space from 5pm, serving as 150 customers fresh sushi.

Digital and physical presence works in tandem as Zheng publishes numerous events hosted on Isshiki through social media. Increased visibility of the local Asian community is also important for Zheng, with many of its events open to the public for free. Many of the brands she collaborated with are either Asian-owned or concentrated.

The events she hosted have recently fitted into categories, including New Year’s Party on the Moon and Valentine’s Day pop-ups with Asian dating app Yuzu. Other events will be launching capsule clothing collections to tea tasting classes, ranging from special morning matcha classes to raves with local DJs. Zheng’s influence in the New York community is online and in person, with Isshiki now hosting or kettering events for brands such as Uniqlo, Mastercard, Puma, and Goop.

I’m suffering from FOMO

Zheng praises her success for her preparation, hard work and fortune.

Earlier this year, Zheng’s next foray came after another Asian drink brand, The Lucky Ox, owner of the bottled lemonade business. Zheng expressed interest in getting into the drink space soon, and the two soon cooperated with a new bottle of matcha lemonade.

Zheng already sells wholesale of matcha Powders, but the motivation behind the immediate version was to create a convenient and easily accessible product. Zheng said the matcha lemonade, which just released a month ago, is already available in 120 stores, and La Colombe aims to link to matcha in close links, just like coffee.

When part of being a successful business owner is someone you know, Zheng said it’s not necessarily a bad thing to miss or suffer from the fear of FOMO. In the past, she has found brand partnerships through other participants at various events. In fact, she won her first internship after accidentally meeting the founder of a magazine company. The two stopped chatting after realising they were wearing the same perfume.

“Literally, your network is your net worth. It gives me a lame anxiety to miss something,” laughs Zheng.

You also pay to jump at unique opportunities when they occur. Last fall, Isshiki matcha went viral after Zheng was able to import a chocolate muffin shipment from the famous Olympic Village into US patience. This is also important.

At the moment, Zheng can advise first-starting entrepreneurs at his career, and communicate to embody confidence and boldness. It was particularly important as a female entrepreneur. Rather than trusting her abilities, Zheng said she insisted on the opportunity for her to be in the market rather than selling herself shortly. Sometimes Zheng can help meet potential business partners and not pay her age forward.

“The best part about being Asian is that I can see from 16 to 50 years old,” she joked. “So you don’t know how old I am, and I’ve always carried myself like this.”