From a fifth-generation farm in Japan to a carefully whisked cup in Edmonton

When Belle Glowatsky opened Whisked Matcha Bar as a pop-up in June 2025, she expected to spend a few months sharing her love of matcha with curious Edmontonians. Instead, demand quickly let her know that her matcha business had staying power.

The rapid growth surprised Glowatsky, but her journey to opening Whisked was years in the making.

Her love affair with matcha began when she was 12 years old growing up in Sherwood Park. A sample cup at David’s Tea sparked an obsession that followed her into adulthood and evolved into a deeper appreciation for the craft and culture behind the drink. In 2024, Glowatsky travelled to Japan specifically to immerse herself in the world of matcha, studying under tea masters and visiting renowned tea-growing regions.

“I went for the love of matcha,” she says. “I went to study under tea masters. I went to Uji, I went to visit different regions, museums. I just did a whole trip genuinely just for my interest.”

The experience reshaped her understanding of what matcha could be and highlighted what she felt was missing back home.

“When I came back, I thought, ‘wow, Edmonton really is lacking this genuine matcha that I’ve experienced, and we’re really losing the tradition behind it.’”

That commitment to authenticity now defines Whisked, beginning with the matcha itself.

Glowatsky sources directly from a fifth-generation farm in Wazuka, located within Japan’s famed Uji region, considered the country’s most prestigious matcha-producing area. After tasting more than 100 different samples while searching for suppliers, she finally found a producer that met her standards.

The partnership is especially significant given the ongoing global matcha shortage. Rising demand has put pressure on producers, making access to high-quality ceremonial-grade matcha increasingly difficult.

Visiting the farm and participating in the harvest made the connection even more meaningful.

“To be able to go and meet the owner, harvest the leaves, doing all of that was truly life-changing.”

That reverence carries through to every cup served at Whisked. Glowatsky approaches matcha preparation with the precision of a craftsperson. Water temperature is carefully controlled at 80 degrees Celsius to prevent scorching the tea. Every serving is weighed and measured to ensure consistency.

“If you’re getting served a matcha today, it will taste the same tomorrow,” she says.

Most importantly, Whisked remains committed to traditional hand-whisking methods rather than shortcuts.

“You see a lot of electric whisks now, and that is completely taking away matcha’s whole purpose,” Glowatsky says. “Even though you might have to wait a little longer for your hand-whisked matcha, that’s what we pride ourselves in: staying true to the craft.”

In fall 2026, Glowatsky will be moving to Japan to continue studying the craft of matcha. While this means Whisked’s pop-up space closed in June 2026, Glowatsky is serving matcha from the Whisked Matcha Truck in August (check @whisked.yeg on Instagram for locations), selling tins of ceremonial matcha online, and is partnering with local cafes to continue serving matcha – thoughtfully prepared with her same techniques while she is in Japan. When Glowatsky returns from Japan, Edmonton can expect even more premium matcha experiences from Whisked.

For Glowatsky, the luxury of matcha extends beyond rare cultivars and meticulous preparation. It is found in the care behind every cup and the community that has embraced it.