Specialty Matcha Podcast

About Specialty Matcha Podcast

The Specialty Matcha Podcast is hosted by Ryan Ahn and Zongjun Li, cofounders of Sanko Matcha Products. We discuss the growth in popularity of matcha, innovation, and matcha science. We also interview thought leaders, tea merchants, and tea educators to discuss everything from sourcing, processing, blending, milling, storytelling, health claims, and much more. Sanko Matcha Products is a startup dedicated to using functional design to create contemporary matcha gear and the use of new technology to innovate the matcha milling process.

Publisher

Sanko Matcha Products

Category

arts

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

11 Mar 2024

Latest episode

29 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

120 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   29 Oct 2026

   Zairai, matcha milling, and more with Pau from Tea Nursery

   In this episode, cohosts Ryan and Zongjun (Sam) welcome back Pau from Tea Nursey and who works as a tea farmer in Wazuka. Topics range from a Zairai summit in Shizuoka where genetic sampling is being used to trace which prefectures share seed stock and to test the legends about who planted tea where, to what it takes to bring a century-old abandoned Zairai field back into production, to the day to day complexity of operating ishi usu stone mills.

2. 

   8 Oct 2026

   Interview with Zach Mangan, Kettl

   Ryan and Zongjun (Sam) are in discussion with Zach Mangan, founder of Kettl, to discuss 16 years of sourcing Japanese tea. Topics range from how the art of gogumi (tea blending) works, drawing on Zach's conversations with Masayoshi Koyama of Yamamasa Koyamaen, to the history of single estate matcha before the Meiji era, what "Uji" means on a label, and Zach's framework for approaching matcha sensory. They close on how tasting other loose life teas can further contextualize matcha, Zach's advice for new matcha brands, and his desert island tea. https://kettl.co/products/miyabi-sencha?variant=45770145136890

3. 

   18 Sept 2026

   Thailand's Advanced Matcha Market

   In this episode, cohosts Ryan and Zongjun (Sam) record from Bangkok the day after Thailand Coffee Fest 2026, where around 40 matcha brands exhibited and the Sanko Usu One had to be pitched from a poster because the mill was stuck in air freight. Topics range from how they explain fresh milling next to a traditional ishi-usu, to Ryan's price survey of over 350 matcha products on the show floor, to why they consider Thailand the most sophisticated matcha consumer market in the world.

Who has been a guest on Specialty Matcha Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Erin Lindwall
• Marc from Ooika
• Marcel
• Dee

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

398,308

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.8 / 5

19 ratings

Spotify

4.9 / 5

55 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 55 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

48

Social presence

0

YouTube

82

Engagement

71

Contact Specialty Matcha Podcast

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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Questions about Specialty Matcha Podcast