Friday Food Insider: Maine gets matcha-fied with new 'clean-energy' drink

Photo / Courtesy of Integrated Marketing Chuh, a new matcha latte brand with Maine roots, promises "clean energy in a can." It is available online and at select Maine stores.

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By Alexis Wells

Coffee, tea or matcha? A new canned brand of matcha latte with roots in the coastal town of Georgetown and hitting the market this week promises "smooth, clean energy without the crash" when a caffeine jolt wears off.

The drink, created by Andrew Schundler and his wife, is named Chuh, for the second syllable of the word matcha. ("Cha" means tea in Japanese, while "ma" means "to rub" or "to grind.")

Schundler is a matcha convert himself after giving up coffee a few years ago. The personal quest led him to start a business.

"As matcha grew in popularity, I noticed a gap in the market — there were either sugary sodas and high-caffeine energy drinks or ultra-purist, unsweetened matcha that tasted too grassy for everyday folks," he told Mainebiz.

Schundler is an alumnus of the Dirigo Labs business accelerator in Waterville and current participant in Maine Center for Entrepreneurs' new SmartLaunch for Consumer Packaged Goods program.

Matcha, known for its antioxidant properties, is a high-end tea that can be ground into a fine powder and used in various forms. It is known for its rich antioxidant content and contains some caffeine. According to WebMD, the compounds in matcha are similar to those in green tea, which have been shown to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

"Caffeine just got way cooler," Chuh declares on its website, where cans available for purchase are priced at $17.99 for a four-pack and at $34.90 for an eight-can variety pack.

The drink was developed in collaboration with a formulator in Brooklyn, N.Y., and produced in Connecticut, in what Schundler said is one of the closest New England facilities that can handle both dairy and shelf-stable processing.

The beverage is cooked at high temperatures (above pasteurization), giving it a long shelf life that eliminates the need for refrigeration. Cans feature an illustration of a cheeky fox from Japanese folklore called the kitsune, who’s "all about good vibes and a little mischief," according to Chuh's website.

More about the drink

Chuh is selling two flavors, including a spiced vanilla made with organic non-fat milk and a blueberry version made with organic oat milk, catering to dairy-free consumers.

The canned drink is being sold online and at select Maine stores, including Morning Glory and Warmings Market in Brunswick and, as of next week, Bow Street Market in Freeport. Schundler said he plans to explore other stores across the state.

Your recommendations

What kinds of matcha drinks would you recommend to this coffee connoisseur? Share your suggestions with the Friday Food Insider! Contact Alexis Wells at awells@mainebiz.biz.