In early April, a new matcha brand, Poda, owned by Mujtaba Waseem, entered the social media spotlight not entirely for the reasons it hoped. Launching its marketing campaign across platforms like TikTok and Instagram, Poda took a bold, controversial approach: criticizing traditional matcha culture and practice to promote its new tube matcha product.  

In the now deleted video, Waseem dismissed traditional matcha preparation tools, suggesting that Chinese-manufactured matcha products are inferior. 

“Let’s make matcha, but without any of this crap,” Waseem said. 

He also claimed that their product was better than any other matcha products on the market, stating that other products were low quality and manufactured in China, which quickly sparked backlash from the media. 

 “Poda is the freshest matcha on the planet,” Waseem said. 

According to Poda’s official website, the company uses technology to lock in vibrant flavors and nutrients, making sure the matcha does not oxidize. However, the dull, brown undertone of the matcha suggests otherwise.  

While the brand continues to take pre-orders and post updated, less flamboyant promotional content, the original campaign left a strong impression on matcha lovers at Webb.  

Students were initially intrigued by the idea of an easier way to enjoy matcha. However, after seeing the original posted video from Poda’s account, Candice’s reaction became much more critical, as she took note that quality varies by company, not country. 

“He said traditional tools were crap and made in China,” Candice said. “That’s stereotypical. There’s good matcha in China too.”  

Matcha originally came from China in the 7th century, before it was introduced to Japan in the 12th century. Since then, matcha has gained popularity from drinkers all over the world. While matcha culture involves some competition and emphasis on quality, the combative tone taken by Poda was unnecessary. Suggesting only their matcha is the best shows that the brand did not educate themselves on the origin of this drink.  

“China does a lot of things that are effective and at a low cost,” Donny Tejavibulya (‘27) said. “At a low cost, it is more accessible, as not everyone can afford stuff like that.”  

Poda’s marketing strategy is speculated to stir up anger from the media in order to increase engagement from their audience.  

“Either way, people are talking about it.” Qianqian Jia (‘25) said. 

Good or bad attention, the brand is receiving the attention it needs to expand their product. However, focusing on attacking other brands and traditions is not only unthoughtful, but is cultural appropriation towards culture that has been in place for thousands of years. A better marketing strategy would be to focus on tangible benefits like the product’s convenience rather than tearing down traditional matcha. 

As for the potential impact of Poda’s statements, loyal matcha fans might choose to stick to their preferred cafes and brands. This controversy might not affect long-term matcha drinkers.  

However, marketing a new product at the expense of an ancient tradition, and by insulting other cultures in the process, is not the way to win over customers. 

“I feel like you are losing the matcha culture as well because it’s the ceremony that brings people together,” Donny said.  

Traditional matcha preparation involves careful whisking with specialized tools and techniques, a process that can intimidate casual drinks. Poda’s tube matcha, which dissolves quickly in water without the need for whisking, could offer friendly options for those who need accessibility-friendly options.  

Poda’s situation highlights a critical lesson in branding and cultural sensitivity, which is that innovation can and should coexist with respect for tradition. Had the company emphasized the convenience of their product without belittling traditional practices and cultures, they might have avoided the controversy altogether. 

As the brand continues to navigate orders and social pages, it becomes important that Poda, along with other companies trying to rebrand traditional drinks or foods, learn about the background and culture. It is inappropriate to ask the media to educate them on research that should have been done beforehand. Although tube matcha does have its benefits, Poda’s marketing strategy is not the correct way to attract a consumer base.