Matcha maven, Cara Li is the co-founder of Matchali and the brains behind Hong Kong's first homegrown Japanese tea concept.
Matcha maven, Cara Li is the co-founder of Matchali and the brains behind Hong Kong’s first homegrown Japanese tea concept.
Cara Li is no stranger to Tatler: after all, she is the daughter of Alain Li, CEO of luxury distributor Richemont Asia-Pacific CEO. Some might have assumed she would follow in her father’s fashionable footsteps, but Li had a different plan altogether. After studying at the Institute of Culinary Education and the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York, Li and her cousin Laura Li took Hong Kong’s café culture by storm by launching contemporary tea concept Matchali in 2019.
While visiting Uji, a small town near Kyoto that is widely regarded as the birthplace of matcha, Li was able to observe the techniques used to produce high quality green tea and was eager to bring the flavour, health benefits, and old world techniques of matcha-making to the masses in Hong Kong.
Matchali’s menu is filled with creative drinks, including a purple lemonade matcha, iced hojicha latte and a matcha colada for the summer, and there is no wonder why her creations are adored by the likes of Lindsay Jang, Antonia Li, Kevin Poon and Alison Chan.
With successful pop-ups at the Upper House, a new pop up on the way at Pacific Place this September and a new store at the Landmark Atrium where they will be until October, Li is busy brewing big ideas for her Matchali takeover. Here, she talks to Tatler about her dream talk show guests, her love for cheese and her dislike for designer sneakers.
See also: The Best Places For Tea In Hong Kong, 2020 Edition
What does Hong Kong mean to you?
A place I can always call home; where my family and good friends live, and the place that I chose to pursue my career and launch my business, Matchali.
What was the inspiration behind your company?
We are Hong Kong’s first homegrown matcha-centric brand. When I was living in New York, I became hooked on drinking matcha for its taste and many health benefits. My business partner Laura and I wanted to share our passion for matcha with Hong Kong and we felt there was an opportunity to create a contemporary brand that highlights what matcha is while promoting its health-boosting properties.
What projects do you have on the horizon?
We have been fortunate to have been given such great platforms to launch Matchali this year. We started with a pop-up at The Upper House and now have our first shop in Landmark. We are planning more pop-ups around Hong Kong and will continue to collaborate with other local brands.
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