The Whisk and Bloom

A Portland Matcha Pop-Up Was Threatened With a Lawsuit Over Tea | Eater Portland

"Launched in September 2024 as a pop-up cafe devoted to matcha, it primarily runs on weekends out of Yoonique Tea and occasionally pops up elsewhere, offering made-to-order drinks that let customers sample specific brands. When guests asked to buy hard-to-source powders like Marukyu Koyamaen, Nguyen occasionally brought in a few extra factory-sealed tins at a small markup to cover taxes and shipping, which sparked cease-and-desist letters from Nara Tea Co./LYC Japanese Artisan Gifts; those letters were later walked back after Nara acknowledged it isn’t the brand’s exclusive U.S. distributor, and Marukyu Koyamaen told Nguyen the letters “hold no legal effects.” Listed by the Japanese maker among unauthorized resellers yet not accused of repackaging or logo misuse, the project says it follows the rules and aims to keep the focus on the dream, popping up wherever invited." - Ben Coleman