Latest news with #BlankStreet
Metro
5 days ago
- Business
- Metro
Japanese food is about more than trends — big brands are getting it wrong
From ramen to sushi, plenty of delicious Japanese dishes have become staples on restaurant menus across the UK over the last few years. But most recently, Brits have become obsessed with sweet treats from the country in East Asia, with matcha and mochi popping up everywhere, in part thanks to brands like Blank Street Coffee and Little Moons. Blank Street started life as a coffee cart in Brooklyn in 2020, but now has 74 locations across the US and UK and is valued at a cool $500 million (£368,000,000). Its success can be credited, in part, to the launch of their blueberry matcha, which was created by a mixologist in London in 2023. The sugary drink went viral online and inspired the brand to double down on flavoured green tea drinks – which now account for 50% of the business. The menu currently includes White Chocolate Matcha, Strawberry Shortcake Matcha, as well as classic Iced Matcha Tea or Latte. Meanwhile Little Moons, a brand founded by siblings Vivien and Howard Wong in 2010 and inspired by the food they grew up eating with their Asian parents, is now an ice cream mochi empire, worth a whopping £50 million (a revenue that jumped by £40m in the last two years alone). Mochi is made using a short-grain glutinous rice called mochigome, which is steamed, pounded and moulded into a stretchy dough that can be flavoured and wrapped around a filling. Traditionally they are filled with anko, a sweet red bean paste, but Little Moons put a British spin on this by wrapping their mochi around balls of ice cream in flavours like chocolate and salted caramel and strawberries and cream. Recently they've also jumped on the Dubai chocolate trend and launched a Dubai Moons collaboration with Choco Fruit UK. Vivien claims she and her brother founded the company after spotting a 'shift' in the way people in the UK were consuming Japanese food. She recently told Forbes: 'We had always loved the traditional Japanese mochi our parents made with red bean paste, and on our travels in Japan and the US, we discovered mochi filled with ice cream. That was the 'aha' moment: what if we gave mochi a modern British twist by using ice cream as the filling?' And these aren't the only brands putting a British twist on Japanese treats. If you've been on social media lately, you will have seen photos of the viral M&S Red Diamond Strawberry & Creme Sandwich. The retailer confirmed to Metro that their first-ever dessert sandwich was inspired by the 'cult sweet Japanese sandos' sold in convenience stores across Japan. Sando means sandwich in Japanese, but it also refers to a specific style of sandwich in Japan that's made with soft, pillowy milk bread (shokupan). Classics include the egg salad sando, katsu sando and fruit sando usually filled with whipped cream and large slices of fruit. Marks & Spencer has put its own spin on the latter with its sandwich, which is made with a brioche-style sweet bread, whipped cream cheese and creme fraiche and Red Diamond Strawberries. A spokesperson for M&S said: 'We're constantly inspired by food cultures and food trends from around the world, whether it's a subtle influence or a more direct nod, we love putting our own unique and innovative spin on products to make them feel right for our customers.' Thus far, the sandwich has proved so popular with customers, it's even outselling water, with hundreds of thousands of the sandwiches dropping into 800 Foodhalls across the UK every morning this week. Production has even had to be increased to keep up with the demand. However, not everyone is on board with the way brands are turning traditional Japanese dishes into trends. 'It's no secret that Japanese desserts are having a moment,' Marcin Chanek, the head chef at Marugame Udon, tells Metro. He's thrilled to see a rising interest in Japanese flavours, but like several other chefs, he has concerns about whether the history and art of the cuisine is actually being taken seriously. 'Whilst it's exciting to see Japanese desserts go viral, it's important to respect the roots of Japanese cuisine and know how it's meant to taste when it's done right. 'That doesn't mean there's no room for innovation, as Japanese food has always evolved but we think it's important to maintain a boundary between creativity and caricature.' Leonard Tanyag, the executive chef at LUNA Omakase feels similarly, stating that Japanese desserts are 'special', not just because of the rare ingredients they contain, but because of the 'blend of artistry and discipline' that goes into creating them. 'In Japan, the best desserts are found in cities like Tokyo and Kyoto, but my personal favourite is from a particular part of Hokkaido: a matcha cheesecake made with Wagyu milk. It's unlike anything you'll find elsewhere in the world because of the delicate balance of sweetness, the aesthetics, and the deep respect for seasonality and precision that defines traditional Japanese patisserie,' he explains. 'Unfortunately, when big brands try to replicate this abroad they often focus on the look rather than the craft. It might photograph well, but the taste just isn't quite right.' Leonard puts this error down to three things: mass production, a misinterpretation of ingredients and a lack of seasonal focus. And the latter is key. He claims the brands that 'do it better than others' are the ones who are 'genuinely invested' in seasonal flavours and traditional Japanese techniques. More Trending The chef continues: 'We're seeing other Japanese-inspired trends gaining momentum too, from mochi doughnuts and yuzu-infused pastries to the growing popularity of kinako, hojicha, and kuromitsu in Western menus. But again, the success comes down to how much respect is paid to the original craft. Happy Sky Bakery, 94 Askew Road, W12 9BL Happy Sky is a Japanese artisan bakery known for its breads, pastries and of course, sandos. The menu features dishes ike orange and matcha cheesecake croissants, mochi croissants and sandos. Toconoco, 28 Hertford Road, N1 5QT As well as a number of rice and noodle dishes, Toconoco has several sweet treats on the menu, inclduing a daily cheesecake, matcha blondies, red bean buns and mochi. WA Cafe, locations in Ealing Broadway, Covent Garden and Marylebone This Japanese patisserie is serving up edible works of art, with a selection of fluffy cakes, pastries and buns. They also sell loaves of shokupan, as well as souffle cheesecake, and matcha drinks. 'What brands often get wrong is assuming that Japanese food is all about minimalism or novelty. In reality, it's deeply rooted in omotenashi (hospitality), seasonality, and an incredible attention to detail. Without that, you lose the soul of the dish.' He adds: 'If brands want to do better, they need to look beyond Instagrammable plating and actually collaborate with Japanese chefs or artisans. View More » 'It's not just about trends, it's about cultural understanding. And when done right, the result isn't just more authentic, it's far more meaningful, memorable, and delicious.' Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Two courses and a glass of prosecco for £18 at Prix Fixe Brasserie : 10 unmissable Time Out deals MORE: Tiny detail on certain McVities and KitKat packets reveals a surprising 'secret' MORE: We found one of the best deals on London's seafood scene – £1 oysters Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
Daily Mirror
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'I tried Blank Street's new 'ice cream' flavoured matcha going viral online'
Say goodbye to eating ice cream in a messy cone as coffee chain Blank Street has just launched two brand new flavours inspired by ice cream, and they are perfect for summer. Blank Street are known for their iconic twist on matchas and iced lattes and the Cookies and Cream Matcha and the Honeycomb Iced Latte have been going viral online, with coffee lovers getting their caffiene fix with the sweet taste of summer. Known as industry innovators when it comes to the classic matcha latte, Blank Street have once again put their own mark on matcha with the new flavour and as a matcha lover myself, I knew I needed to give the two new drinks a try. With a sweet tooth already, these two coffee's are right up my (Blank) street. I usually opt for a caramel macchiato or a vanilla latte, and for a matcha I will always order an iced matcha with oat milk. Both the new drinks hit on all senses and are packed with texture as well as flavour. The Cookies & Cream Matcha is blended with real cookie crumbles, and you'll also find honeycomb crisps in the Honeycomb Latte, both providing a smooth yet satisfying crunch. For the matcha, I was worried the sweetness was going to take away from the true matcha taste, but it didn't. There was still the unique taste there, with the sweetness of the oat milk and the crumbly cookie pieces. Now, Blank Street matchas have come under fire for ruining the taste of the classic drink, with many saying it's "matcha for people who don't like matcha". However I think these fun drinks are a real treat and can still give the caffeine boost while tasting sweet. I have to admit although it was very tasty, but apart from the pieces of cookie, I couldn't really notice much of a difference from my regular iced matcha with oat milk. I was expecting it to be a little creamier than usual, to take away from the classic matcha taste. Nevertheless I still enjoyed the bits of cookie at the bottom. I wish there was a little more of the cookie taste to mix with the strong taste of the matcha powder. However, the latte was very impressive. It was sweet, but for me it was just right. It had the blend of the smooth classic coffee taste, combined with vanilla and the honeycomb pieces on top. I can imagine for some it may be too much, but for me it was perfect. I can't say the taste of the actual coffee tasted like honeycomb, but the added sprinkles on top were a nice touch. Overall, I think Blank Street are doing what they do best, and experimenting with their flavours. Drinks inspired by some of the best ice cream flavours is always going to be a win in my eyes - and it's way easier than having to eat a melting ice cream in a cone in this heat.
Mint
19-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
How do you build a $500 million coffee chain? By selling matcha to teens.
At 3:30 p.m. on the Upper East Side of New York City, Emma and Maddie, both 12 years old, are sipping matcha lattes at their usual after-school hangout: Blank Street Coffee. As the name suggests, Blank Street made its name in coffee—launching in 2020 with a Brooklyn cart, and then, with the backing of millions in venture capital, rapidly expanding with stores across the city and beyond. Coffee snobs balked at the brand: The chain's automated espresso machines and aggressive expansion plan struck them as inauthentic to cafe culture. But now the company has caught a fresh stride by leaning into sugary, colorful, caffeinated, TikTok-friendly green tea. There are a variety of flavors—among them, strawberry-shortcake matcha, blueberry matcha, white-chocolate matcha. New this month are a rocky-road latte and cookies-and-cream matcha. 'At first I didn't like it, but now I do," Emma said of her $7 iced green drink, smiling through her braces. The sixth-grader said she charged the drinks to her parents' credit card once or twice a week. 'The matcha part isn't sweet, but the part with the syrup and stuff at the bottom is good." 'I used to walk by here and not know what it was, but I heard about it from TikTok so I stopped in," added Maddie. 'It's become a trend. A lot of the high-schoolers order it at school." Blank Street joins many brands, including Sephora and Stanley, that have been propelled to a broader cultural relevance because of teen customers. The craze now has teens and Gen Z customers proudly sipping matcha and posting about brightly colored drinks that measure high in sugar and even higher in clout. The company now boasts a $500 million valuation, a large number for a coffee chain that isn't Starbucks. 'I see people all the time in class with a Blank Street cup," said Cooper, a 15-year-old ninth-grade private-school student. He said the coffee chain had invaded his New York City classrooms this past fall. He estimates he patronizes Blank Street four times a week. Blank Street co-founders Vinay Menda, 32, and Issam Freiha, 29, say they didn't set out to capture the wallets of Sephora teens. They are college friends who started the coffee chain after working together in venture capital. Freiha is originally from Lebanon and Menda from Dubai. The duo researched trendy Asian coffee chains and decided to try a similar approach in the states. (A third co-founder, Ignacio Llado, joined in 2022 to expand Blank Street to the U.K.). They realized they could hit it big with flavored matcha two years ago after a mixologist on their London team created a blueberry drink that went viral. Since then, Blank Street has been doubling down on new matcha beverages, rolling out a few every season. Matcha now accounts for approximately 50% of the business, Menda said. Blank Street raised $25 million in a Series B round of funding at the end of May, bringing its total funding amount to $135 million, a spokeswoman for the company said. The company says it is profitable. It earns an estimated revenue of $149 million annually, a person familiar with the business said. It has plans to eventually expand its 90 global stores to locations such as Miami and Los Angeles. 'The influencers are all drinking it, like it's just a part of their lives, so you feel like you got to try it," said Madison Ginsberg, a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Florida. To help its marketing team think about customers it serves, global creative director Mohammad Rabaa says his team creates fake personas with character-building mood boards around each new matcha drink, to 'market it in a hyper-specific way." Blank Street's strawberry-shortcake matcha persona is, for example, 'an East London Girl who listens to Katseye," Rabaa, 29, said. 'The Aries latte is someone who hangs out in McCarren Park, is from Brooklyn and feels, to me, more Charli [XCX]." A new cookies-and-cream matcha drink is 'a Lower East Side Dimes Square boy." The team hasn't decided what kind of music the character listens to yet. The company has had huge success with some flavors, like banana-bread matcha. Others haven't done as well, like a grapefruit cold-brew spritz Freiha described as 'the most rogue one we've ever done." (The character for that one was 'a Dua Lipa listener who does summer in the Amalfi coast. Very bougie," Rabaa said.) In other words, Blank Street is trying to sell a lifestyle. 'You're not just getting matcha, you're getting a vibe," said Alexis Taliento, a 23-year-old Brooklyner. Taliento said she preferred Blank Street to Starbucks, whose menu she finds overwhelming. 'Blank Street is clean, new, fresh. It's super aesthetic." Adri Thomas, a 22-year-old public-relations professional originally from Chicago, said she associated Blank Street as a hot New York spot because she had heard about it from YouTube vloggers. When she moved to New York last year, 'Blank Street was literally one of the first places I went, before I even had any of my furniture." A Blank Street matcha drink can have 25 grams of sugar—just at the daily suggested limit for women by the American Heart Association. Maddi Klancher, 23, works in financial technology and said she bought matcha from Blank Street four to five times a week, mainly out of convenience. She has had better matcha from other places, she said, but at $7 a drink, Blank Street has lower prices. Blank Street has an invite-only membership, where baristas give customers access to pay $22 a month for up to 14 drinks a week. The program has a long wait list and has fueled online frenzy. Maddie Kane, a clean-energy researcher in New York, said she had jumped the line by gifting herself a membership through the website, a loophole that's since closed. 'I hacked my way into it," Kane, 25, joked. Alessandro, 16, said she'd always thought matcha was 'disgusting," but enough peer pressure from friends had convinced her to try Blank Street's. 'Strawberry shortcake tastes like a cake," she said. 'I had a headache after."
Daily Record
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
River Island's 'stunning' £50 bag 'matcha girlies' need 'immediately'
River Island shoppers have fallen in love with a new beaded handbag from the retailer's premium collection Matcha lovers say they are "obsessed" with a new River Island bag that's been hailed as "the epitome of girlhood." Shoppers love the beaded style, which is inspired by a blueberry matcha drink. The novelty bag impressed customers when it went viral on TikTok. The Green Premium Blueberry Matcha Shoulder Bag was featured in a popular video shared by a shopper named Ellie, who posts on TikTok as @fenloninteriors_. Ellie said: "Fellow matcha girlies, why is nobody discussing this bag? I fear this is the epitome of girlhood." She continued: "Could you imagine this with an all-white outfit on holiday? I'm obsessed." The blogger told viewers the design reminded her of Blank Street's drinks, referencing the popular coffee shop chain. She explained: "As a matcha girlie, it's giving Blank Street matcha. Like, I want that just on me permanently. Like, it's stunning. It's also giving that sort of Kate Spade vibe." Ellie added that she didn't think the bag would be for everyone, but she loved it. "I deffo need it for holiday," she shared. "I feel like it's going to be Marmite, you're either gonna love it or hate it. I also love the beaded feature, you know, beaded bags are just so in right now. As a matcha girlie, I require this bag immediately." In another post, @beccieday was just as impressed. In her post, the TikTok user said: "Obsessed with this beaded blueberry matcha bag in River Island," and viewers had a similar reaction. Replying to the videos, shoppers praised the new style. One fan commented: "OH MY ACTUAL GOD." A second said their friend "would LOVE" the design, and someone else told a fellow social media user: "I fear you need this." The Green Premium Blueberry Matcha Shoulder Bag is £50 at River Island. The product description says the beaded bag is from River Island's premium collection and that it has a zip fastening and chain strap. Similar designs from River Island include the £46 Red Premium Red Sauce Beaded Clutch Bag, the £46 Beige Premium Beaded Pizza Shoulder Bag, the £50 Green Premium 7up Beaded Can Shoulder Bag, and the £50 Blue Premium Baked Beans Beaded Shoulder Bag. Some shoppers have taken to review website TrustPilot to share their thoughts on River Island. Someone wrote: "I paid £32 for a cross body bag, have had to had it replaced twice since I bought it less than 6 months ago as the stitching has come away. The store replaced it no problem but so disappointed with the quality." Another claimed: "Products arrived in good order but I paid for a specific delivery day and this was not honoured. What is the point of offering this service if it does not get adhered to. Emailed to complain about this and nothing was done about it. Very disappointing." Alternatively, Kate Spade offers a selection of food-inspired accessories. For bag lovers, there's a 3D Hamburger Crossbody on sale from £295 to £189. The product description says: "Our crossbodies are perfect if you want to carry your important things without all the bulk. Plus, your hands are free to keep up with all your group texts and grip that vanilla latte." There's also the Snack Bar Popsicle Small Slim Bifold Wallet, which is on sale for £129 from £195. For jewellery lovers, there's also a Fast Food Ice Pop Pendant, which is on sale for £54 from £90, and the Fast Food Ice Pop Studs, which are on sale for £49 from £80. The product description for the pendant says: "The finishing touch to your outfit. And the reason for all the oohs and aahs."
Daily Mirror
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
River Island's 'stunning' handbag is 'the epitome of girlhood'
Shoppers love River Island's glitzy new handbag that's wowed fashion fans River Island shoppers are "obsessed" with a new beaded bag dubbed "the epitome of girlhood." Customers have fallen in love with a glitzy bag, designed in the shape of a blueberry matcha drink. The fun accessory wowed fashion fans when it went viral on social media. The Green Premium Blueberry Matcha Shoulder Bag was featured in a popular video shared by a shopper named Ellie, who posts on TikTok as @fenloninteriors_. In her post, Ellie said: "Fellow matcha girlies, why is nobody discussing this bag? I fear this is the epitome of girlhood." She added: "Could you imagine this with an all-white outfit on holiday? I'm obsessed." Ellie said the design reminded her of Blank Street's drinks, referencing the popular coffee shop chain. She said: "As a matcha girlie, it's giving Blank Street matcha. Like, I want that just on me permanently. Like, it's stunning. It's also giving that sort of Kate Spade vibe." The fashion lover added that she didn't think the bag would be for everyone, but she counted herself as a fan. "I deffo need it for holiday," she said. "I feel like it's going to be Marmite, you're either gonna love it or hate it. I also love the beaded feature, you know, beaded bags are just so in right now. As a matcha girlie, I require this bag immediately." Elsewhere, @beccieday was just as impressed. In her video, the shopper said: "Obsessed with this beaded blueberry matcha bag in River Island," and viewers had a similar reaction. Replying to the videos, shoppers said they loved the new style. One fan wrote: "OH MY ACTUAL GOD." Another said their friend "would LOVE" the design, and someone else told a fellow social media user: "I fear you need this." The Green Premium Blueberry Matcha Shoulder Bag is £50 at River Island. The product description says the beaded bag is from River Island's premium collection and that it has a zip fastening and chain strap. Similar designs from River Island include the £46 Red Premium Red Sauce Beaded Clutch Bag, the £46 Beige Premium Beaded Pizza Shoulder Bag, the £50 Green Premium 7up Beaded Can Shoulder Bag, and the £50 Blue Premium Baked Beans Beaded Shoulder Bag. Some shoppers have taken to review website TrustPilot to share their thoughts on River Island. Someone wrote: "I paid £32 for a cross body bag, have had to had it replaced twice since I bought it less than 6 months ago as the stitching has come away. The store replaced it no problem but so disappointed with the quality." Another claimed: "Products arrived in good order but I paid for a specific delivery day and this was not honoured. What is the point of offering this service if it does not get adhered to. Emailed to complain about this and nothing was done about it. Very disappointing." Elsewhere, Kate Spade offers a selection of food-inspired accessories. For bag lovers, there's a 3D Hamburger Crossbody on sale from £295 to £189. There's also a Fast Food Burger Pendant for £99 from £170 and Fast Food Burger Studs for £49 from £80. More options include the Snack Bar Popsicle Crossbody Bag, which is on sale for £279 from £429, and the Snack Bar Popsicle Small Slim Bifold Wallet, which is on sale for £129 from £195. For jewellery lovers, there's also a Fast Food Ice Pop Pendant, which is on sale for £54 from £90, and the Fast Food Ice Pop Studs, which are on sale for £49 from £80.
