2025 Matcha Throwdown - Auckland New Zealand

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Introducing

New Zealand's first ever Matcha Throwdown

Brought to you by Thea Matcha and Blackdrop Eatery.

We wanted to create space for the growing matcha community and encourage creativity, skill and celebrate some of the best in the matcha game. We invite anyone to enter. Your friends are allowed to come by and cheer you on :)

It's happening Sunday, October 5th. Tentatively timed for 10am to 2pm.

Prizes are worth a total of around $3000 with 2 winners and 2 runner ups!

Please be respectful of each other and most importantly, support one another.

We have two categories:

CATEGORY A

Specialty Matcha

To create a unique matcha drink that consists of creative components. No alcohol.

CATEGORY B

Matcha Latte

Create a Matcha latte with the perfect balance of sweetness and umami, bonus points for presentation. This is for hot matcha lattes only.

WITH THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

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Meet Your Hosts and Event Co-ordinators

King

King has been whisking up the matcha scene with his inventive combinations and inspiring taste profile. It's no surprise that he has a design background and finds travel helps inspire his ideas so that Kiwis can have a chance to try. We are so honoured to have King to be our main host and be there to inspire others to create more with matcha.

May

May's first touch with hospitality came from the age of 6, working in her parents takeaway in South Auckland. Then studying and working in accountancy to moving through design and content creation through Thea. A love for tea, Japan and a low caffeine tolerance, sparked the idea for matcha nearly 10 years ago, to now hosting the very first Matcha Throwdown!

Meet Your Judges

Starting off in 2006 Be Specialty were one of the first speciality espresso bars. Ben and his small team, have now become a supplier, which sources the highest grade of coffee they can and roast each coffee with care.

Ana started off Blackdrop in 2021, from a hole-in-the-wall to it's current standout location in Newmarket. She also works as a flight attendant and makes everything in-house. We highly recommend the matcha cookie!

Enna has been in the marketing game for a while, working with brands like KFC, Starbucks and Ceres. Co-founding Thea Matcha since 2016, she continues to push for better matcha in NZ and also does a bit of cooking herself.

Starting off in hospitality from the age of 15, he's a chef, barista champ, business owner of at least 3 different types and continues to build on his company, WDGROUP. We're patiently waiting to see what's next?

Countdown is on

Throwdown starts in

Competitors 18+ are eligible to compete. The sign up form on this webpage must be filled out.

Competitors are not required to hold a passport, citizenship, or permanent residence in the country in which they are competing.

Individuals employed in a management or leadership position within a Hosting Organisation (Thea and Blackdrop Eatery) may not compete in any event that organisation hosts. This comprises owners, managers, directors, executives, and senior staff.

Individuals with an ownership stake in a Hosting Organisation are not eligible to compete in any Regional or National competitions for any season in which their organisation is hosting an event.

Employees, contractors, and freelancers who are significantly involved in competition operations, such as event coordinators, event managers, or direct contacts of the Organisers, are also not eligible to compete in any Regional or National competitions for any season in which their employer is hosting an event.

The competition is a single-round, point accumulation tournament.

To create a unique matcha drink that consists of creative components.No alcohol. Ice will be provided.

Category A - Specialty, competitors are split into 3 each group for every round;

In each round, 2 or more competitors will brew simultaneously, using their own tools.

Competitors have up to fifteen minutes for the complete process of preparing, brewing, and presenting their drink.

Post-brewing, the drinks are to be presented in their respective vessels to the panel of judges.

Judges will taste each drink and note down their respective scores.

At the end of each category, scores will be consolidated and the drink with the highest score will be the winner.

The competition is a single-round, point accumulation tournament.

Create a Matcha latte with the perfect balance of sweetness and umami, bonus points for presentation.This is for hot matcha lattes only.

Category B - Latte, competitors will be split into 2 each group for every round. There are two Slayer machines available to steam milk - 1 for each person to work on.

In each round, 2 or more competitors will brew simultaneously, using their own tools.

Competitors have ten minutes for the complete process of preparing, brewing, and presenting their drink.

Post-brewing, the drinks are to be presented in their respective vessels to the panel of judges.

Judges will taste each drink and note down their respective scores.

At the end of each category, scores will be consolidated and the drink with the highest score will be the winner.

Pre-Competition Preparation

Before stage time, competitors may preheat brewing water, sort through and pick matcha powder, weigh out doses, assemble the brewer, and place the ingredients on their workstation.

Once on stage, but before competition time starts, competitors will have a few minutes to get set up.

Competitors may:

Plug in their equipments.
Set brewing equipment into place.
Pre-heat, pre-chill brewers/ vessels.

Competitors may not:

Add ingredients to the brewers/ vessels.
Pre-heat ingredients.

What do I need to bring?

Competitors are required to bring their own materials, vessels and brewing equipments on event day. Please bring your own glassware and mugs you would like to present in.

Although, there will be limited amounts of:

Thea Matcha Superior and Premium Matcha range available to use. Please use only what is necessary
Alternative Dairy Milk options
Lewis Road Creamery Jersey and Comfort (Lactose free) Milk
A very small amount of mismatched glassware and mugs

What products can I use?

For all categories, competitors must only use matcha from any of Thea Matcha's Superior and Premium Matcha range.

For Category B, competitors may use any milk of their choice from the product range of Lewis Road Creamery and The Alternative Dairy Co.

A limited amount of Thea Matcha, Lewis Road Creamery, The Alternative Dairy Co will be available to use.

BeSpecialty Coffee Roasters product range will be provided for competitors if required so.

How many drinks do I have to make

Competitors are required to brew a minimum of 2 portions of the same drinks to be presented to the judges.

Brewed matchas not presented within the 10-minute time limit will not be evaluated.

Procedure for Complaints & Disputes

Any complaints or disputes is to be directed to the Host on the event day itself.

If unresolved, succinct

explanation of the issue should be sent to the host.

Complaints via social media comments or direct messages will not be addressed.

Each round is judged by evaluating the drink's taste, creativity, technique and presentation.

Competitors' names and/or countries are marked on the underside of the cups to remain hidden.

All scores are noted on a formal scoresheet provided by the host..

Each judge arrives at their conclusion independently, without discussion with fellow judges.

At the end of every category, the score sheets will be collected by the MC and scores will be consolidated to determine the winner.

The MC reveals the winner at the end of the event.

In case of a tie, a predetermined Head Judge will contribute an extra score to break the tie. This decision is final.

All decisions are final and complaints will not be entertained.

Category A - Specialty Prize Winner and Runner Up

Winner

Cash $500
A bespoke one-of-a-kind Chawan by Jessie from Yeram Ceramics
All Thea superior, premium matcha and Hōjicha range (50g sizes)
Lewis Road Milk voucher
1x Alternative Dairy Milk (ADC)
ADC Keyring, pair of socks, lanyard and set of magnets

Runner Up

Blackdrop Voucher $50
Thea Matcha premium matcha and hojicha range (50g sizes)
Matcha Preparation Set
1x Alternative Dairy Milk (ADC)
$100 prezzy card from ADC
$100 ADC Merch Store Voucher.
ADC Keyring, pair of socks, lanyard and set of magnets
Lewis Road Milk voucher

Category B - Matcha Latte Winner and Runner Up

Cash $500
A bespoke one-of-a-kind Chawan by Nathan from Studio Foon
All Thea superior, premium matcha and Hōjicha range (50g sizes)
Lewis Road Milk voucher
1x Alternative Dairy Milk (ADC)
ADC Keyring, pair of socks, lanyard and set of magnets

Runner Up

Blackdrop Voucher $50
Thea Matcha premium matcha and hojicha range (50g sizes)
Matcha Preparation Set
1x Alternative Dairy Milk (ADC)
$100 prezzy card from ADC
$100 ADC Merch Store Voucher.
ADC Keyring, pair of socks, lanyard and set of magnets
Lewis Road Milk voucher

Goody Bag

Every contestant will receive 1 x goody bag filled with items from Thea and Blackdrop, and our milk sponsors consisting of:

Matcha Preparation Ceramic Kit

Ceramic matcha chawan - bowl
Ceramic matcha chasen holder
Bamboo chasen
Bamboo chashaku
Samples of 3 of Thea’s Premium Matcha
1 x ADC Keyring, pair of socks, lanyard and set of magnets
1 x ADC Milk Random x1 bottle
1 x Lewis Road Creamery Milk Voucher

(These have already been included in the Winner and Runner Up prizes, each person will only receive one item each)

Sign Ups open 6pm Sunday 21st September 2025.

Secure your spot below

Purchase either your Specialty, Matcha Latte entry ticket or both to lock in your chance to become the FIRST Matcha Throwdown winner(s) of 2025!

If you do not fill in the above form, you will not qualify for the event.

Product Title

$99.00 NZD

Map

3/29 Enterprise St
Birkenhead, Auckland 0626

Directions

Kyoto Prefecture ⁸

Collection

Superior Matcha - best for tea ⁴

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New Zealand's first ever Matcha Throwdown

Specialty Matcha

Matcha Latte

WITH THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

Meet Your Hosts and Event Co-ordinators

King

May

Meet Your Judges

Throwdown starts in

Competition Eligibility

Event Format

Category A - Specialty Matcha (Hot or Cold)

Category B - Matcha Latte (Hot)

Regulations & Restrictions

Judging Process

Prizes and Goody Bags

Sign Ups open 6pm Sunday 21st September 2025.

Secure your spot below

Map

As seen in