Suche
Mein Konto
Matcha hype in Ehrenfeld: This is how Impi is conquering the Cologne coffee landscape!
In Ehrenfeld, Cologne, Impi has been offering canned matcha for 50 years. Modernized and popular with students!
Matcha hype in Ehrenfeld: This is how Impi is conquering the Cologne coffee landscape!
The Impi in Ehrenfeld is more than just a small corner shop. It is a meeting place for the neighborhood and a place where a new beverage trend is blossoming in Cologne. The café, which has existed for almost 50 years and was taken over by Saskia Groß from her grandfather five years ago, has now specialized in iced matcha lattes. This innovative offer has proven to be a real crowd puller.
Saskia Groß, who took over the helm three weeks before the corona pandemic, experienced a sharp decline in sales in the early days due to the school closures of her main target group - the students of the Ehrenfeld vocational college. But with a lot of creativity and the support of the community, the Impi survived the crisis. During lockdown, Groß sold cakes out of the window, which helped her stay in touch with locals.
The new favorite drink of Cologne residents
With the return of students, business has recovered. Iced Matcha Latte, which was added to the program in May, is particularly popular in summer and can be sold up to 700 times a day for a price of 6.50 euros. The drink is very popular not only because of its taste, but also because of its health-promoting properties. Matcha is considered a healthy alternative to traditional energy drinks and contains both caffeine and L-theanine. This combination provides a gentle wake-up effect, without the typical caffeine side effects, reports Madame.de.
To ensure quality, Impi sources high-quality matcha powder from Kyoto, Japan. The healthy green powder is not only used in their trendy drinks menu, but is also a popular ingredient in various recipes, such as the Iced Matcha Latte suggested by A Cozy Kitchen.
Sustainability in focus
Although Impi is a thriving business, Groß also has an eye on disposing of the cans. Together with her partner, she is planning a garbage collection campaign in the neighborhood. However, the cans are not the only novelty on offer. In the near future they would also like to introduce porridge, bowls and focaccia. In addition, they have long opening hours that allow guests to enjoy the food and drinks on a spacious terrace.
Matcha's popularity is also supported by social media like Instagram and TikTok, where influencers and celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Kylie Jenner are helping the trend spread. But matcha is not just a trendy drink, it also offers numerous health benefits, such as supporting brain function and boosting metabolism, which is highlighted in many recent health studies.
So if you want to stop by Cologne for a cool iced matcha latte, you will not only find a great drink at Impi, but also a place of community and enjoyment. Summer opening hours are Tuesday to Thursday from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday to Sunday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. - enough time to enjoy a sip of delicious matcha and experience the lively hustle and bustle in Ehrenfeld.
For more information about the iced matcha latte trend and recipes, check out A Cozy Kitchen Stop by or find out about the health benefits of matcha at Madame.de.
The Impi shows that tradition and innovation can go hand in hand and that the love of good food and drink can definitely be combined with sustainability.