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Matcha still be BIG in 2026? ... get a grip
Dan Pope
June 20, 2025
Everyone was running and screaming when the pub yawned and stretched and opened her blue-door mouth.
Her sleepy-eyed windows glittered awake, SkySports News flashing from the Samsung TV above the copper-laden, booze-bruised bar.
10.32am.
Landlord Ronnie, Cockney-Charms-tha-Cockles-of-Ya-Heart-sorta-geezwaaaa.
Face greasy-grey like scrunched Fish & Chip paper. Ferocious charm. Zippy Wit. Delectable smile.
“Alright Guv”
Ronnie watched the Tele whilst slurping his 4th Tea of the morning.
His boozer, The Perseverance, billows a hot-happy filth. Booze and ciggies and garrulously good ol’ drunken times.
A towering grey sky hung over the pub. Hungover people were hungover in the pub.
Outside, everyone screaming
“What time are they coming… will we miss them?!?”
“How long are they going to be…what if we miss them?”
“When are they going to get here”
screaming and running
screaming and running.
running and screaming
A couple weeks ago I was at The Perseverance, watching my mate Terence run the Hackney Half Marathon.
East London streets blossomed into a jumping kaleidoscope of colour:: burning-reds :: bouncing-pinks :: screaming-blues:: happy.
Festooned along the race course were glitter-drenched cardboard cut outs.
“REMEMBER PAIN IS JUST BREAD IN FRENCH”
“YOU’RE THREE MILES FROM THE PUB”
Hackney Diamonds cheering Exquisite Corpses.
Stressed stewards passed out oranges, to stop stressed runners in orange passing out.
Terence bowled around the corner.
A Trifle of Strife like boiled, swollen tripe in a pair of yellow and blue HOKAs.
Orchestra of awkward limbs. Symphony of stumbling. Crescendo of blistered cankles. Quartet of quarrelsome thoughts.
“GO ON TERENCE… KEEP GOING TERENCE”
“GO ON TERENCE… KEEP GOING TERENCE”
He retorted
”Cmannnnnn HACKNEY, I Can’t Fakkkkinnnnn Hear YAAAAA”
Terence’s remarks flabbergasted the gaggle of Sloaney Pony Chelsea Rangers.
They all wore Hackney-Wick-Gives-Me-The-Ick looks across their faces and cuddled pooches.
Bless ‘em.
At the finish line, runners fastidiously checked their Garmin watches. Checking their time. What time did I get? Did I get a good time?
Watching the runners persevering from The Perseverance pub jolted me to write a little something about Perseverance and Timing.
Perseverance
“Churchill's genius is plod”
Plod, plod, plod your way to genius.
Perseverance is the most important skill for challenger founders and brands.
The 6 Layers of Perseverance
every big guest I’ve ever landed on the pod… come 6 Layers of Perseverance deep.
every big sponsorship deal I’ve landed comes 6 Layers of Perseverance deep.
This applies to raising money or winning super market listings.
Line up 100 sales reps or account managers and ask them to win a listing.
Layer One Email or Cold Call: 100 people
Layer Two Email or Cold Call: 80 people
Layer Three Email or Cold Call: 32 people
Layer Four Email or Cold Call: 12 people
Layer Five Email or Cold Call: 4 people
Layer Six Email or Cold Call Six: 1 person
6 Layers of Perseverance.
When you get to the 6th Level of Perseverance.
You’re literally in a CATEGORY OF ONE.
But, there’s some subtle nuance…
Perseverance needs Patience
don’t bang out all these emails or outreach in a week or month. Be subtle. Be tacit. Be patient. Master The Art of Timing.
Rule of reciprocity
instead of asking: how can I sell to this person?
invert: ask how can I add value to this person?
Always ADD VALUE vs. be needy and chase.
Partnership > everything else
Frame things as “we” “our” vs. “you” and “I”
our future. our partnership. our relationship.
Timing
At the Hackney Half, Runners with anguish flooded cheeks, fervently checked their Garmin or Apple Watches.
Robert Greene in “The 48 Laws of Power” talks about “Mastering The Art of Timing”
Timing is LITERALLY one of the biggest and most underrated factors getting a brand off the ground.
On LinkedIn, the other week, I saw a post by a brand called Matcha Works. This was them at the London Coffee Festival in 2019. 6 years ago.
Matcha’s having it’s moment.
Amazing brands like PerfectTed, DIRTEA, Good & Proper are grafting hard to grow the category.
Would Matcha Works be in that pack if they launched today?
Absolutely yes.
Seth Godin.
Great Surfers, Pick Great Waves
Great Brands, Pick Great Waves
Timing is so underrated.
Grenade wasn’t the first protein bar, but the timing was right.
Lucky Saint wasn’t the first 0% beer, but the timing was right.
OATLY wasn’t the first Oat Milk, but the timing was right.
HUNGRY wasn’t the first podcast, I got INCREDIBLY LUCKY starting 5 years ago.
It would be WAYYYY harder to get traction today.
so, if you’re in a category where the timing isn’t quite right, persevere, you’re wave will come soon.
and, my honest thoughts on matcha - it’s here to stay.
PerfectTed and DIRTEA are two amazing brands, run by intelligent and formidable founders.
Brands create categories.
Matcha is lucky to have DirTea and PerfectTed.
Not the other way round.
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