Meet the GlowgetterMatcha Union

By Glowcation
5 April '22

As the world emerges from the pandemic we meet the Founders taking wellness forward. First up, Louisa Birkhahn who has brought the ritual of Matcha drinking home from Shanghai.

Why did you launch Matcha Union?

I graduated from business school, moved to Shanghai, and founded my first business “Tartine” an all-day dining cafe. It was a concept I developed in my branding module! I never really drank coffee as it always gave me a jittery feeling and drank and served matcha every day.  After experiencing the perks (and challenges) of having my own business I was motivated to start over when moving back to U.K.! I wanted to create something that had more reach than a physical café.

Having had matcha every day for years – Matcha Union was born. Japanese Matcha green tea has so many benefits and always helped me to be in tune with my inner self and consequently with the world around me. The idea was to grow beyond my personal “union” and empower others to be in their element too.

What are the health benefits and history of Matcha?

Matcha has been part of Eastern culture since as early as the 12th century and plays an integral role in the Traditional Japanese Tea ceremony. Its powdered form is the result of specially grown green tea leaves (grown in the shade) which are finely ground. It’s unmistakable green tint comes from the high chlorophyll content the leaves earn from their shaded location and enhances it’s concentration of nutrients.

Matcha Union specialises in the highest quality Matcha, rich in complexion boosting antioxidants and providing a natural source of L-Theanine, it promises to boost your energy, focus and radiance. L-Theanine is an amino acid and promises to reduce stress and enhance mood, this green goodness also enhances brain function and boosts metabolism.

What is your USP?

Matcha Union is more than just a modern take on the traditional type of tea with a plethora of health benefits. It’s about joining a community.

It recognises the importance of creating harmonious unions. Whether the union is among friends, between ourselves and the world around us, or the union of matcha with water to create a vibrant froth. There is always more to it than just a cup of tea.

What are the greatest joys of being a wellness entrepreneur?

Enabling others to feel their best and connecting with like-minded souls that do the same.

And the challenges?

There seems to be a new wellness trend every other month and sometimes it is challenging not to get side-lined trying to do it all.

 

What have you learnt over the past two years running a business through a pandemic?

I launched Matcha Union in December 2020 and developed it all the way through the pandemic. I have seen self-care becoming more and more apparent and learned about the importance of building relationships with your customers online especially when offline opportunities such as pop-ups were not available. Luckily, this has now passed, and we are excited to have a couple of events planned in real life – nothing beats this!

What is the best advice you were ever given about running a wellness business?

Be persistent. I believe this applies to anything really!

What are your top 3 best life hacks for staying well?

Get your 8 hours of sleep. Do your 10k steps, remember the 4 agreements which is a book I live by and, if I am allowed another, drink matcha ofc!

Which are your top 3 wellness small brands for us to follow and support?

drinkbruce.com for their amazing nut milks without additives – I love their oat/almond milk with our Ceremonial Matcha.
Karve Pilates – for their fire reformer classes.
Ede – for their skincare and aromatherapy and beautiful branding

What are your best 3 wellness places to visit?

Versa class with Carli or Alex at BXR
Juice baby Acai Bowl never gets old.
Selfridges Food and Beauty department – they rolled out a whole new section of wellness products and I love discovering new brands there, next on the list Ancient Brave Cacao collagen!

Words of wellness wisdom in this new world?

The goal is to grow so strong on the inside that nothing on the outside can affect your inner wellness without your conscious permission.

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