IT ALL STARTED WITH AN OBSERVATION.
JENKI was founded by Claudia & Otto Boyer in 2020, when they discovered good matcha was suprprisingly hard to find.
When we first discovered matcha, what stood out wasn’t just the flavour, but the way it made us feel. The combination of focus, energy and balance felt different to anything we’d experienced with coffee. We found ourselves reaching for it every day.
But finding consistently good matcha in London was another matter.
Too often, matcha was treated as an ingredient rather than a craft. Powders lacked freshness and character, drinks were overly sweet, and little attention was paid to where the tea came from or how it was prepared.
The more we learned, the more curious we became.
SO WE HEADED TO JAPAN.
We travelled to Japan to spend time with growers, producers and tea experts, visiting tea regions, tasting different harvests and learning how small decisions at every stage, from cultivation to grinding, shape the final cup. What began as curiosity quickly became a deeper appreciation for the skill, precision and care behind exceptional matcha.
We returned to London with a clear idea of what we wanted to create: a business dedicated to serving great matcha and helping more people understand what makes it special.
BRINGING IT BACK TO LONDON
Back in London, we started JENKI as it is today. JENKI began as a market stall in 2020. We spent our weekends whisking matcha and introducing people to it for the first time. Many had never tried matcha before. Others thought they didn’t like it. The reaction was often the same: surprise at how smooth, sweet and approachable it could be when prepared well.
In 2021, we opened our first bar in Spitalfields with a simple goal: to make exceptional matcha part of everyday life.
WHERE ARE WE TODAY?
Today, every drink is still whisked fresh to order. We continue to work closely with producers across Japan, sourcing first-harvest matcha selected for flavour, quality and consistency. Our menu evolves with the seasons, but the approach remains unchanged: respect the ingredient, prepare it properly and make it accessible to as many people as possible.
What started as a market stall has grown into a collection of matcha bars, an online store and a community of people who enjoy matcha as part of their daily lives.
Our ambition is not simply to serve more matcha. It’s to help raise the standard of what matcha can be.