Our last July flavour is inspired by a local species that can always be spotted floating about in Victoria Park or perhaps even holding up traffic. That's right, the Canada Goose! Goose Tracks is made with a matcha ice cream base sprinkled with pieces of white chocolate almond bark for a tasty crunch. Goose Tracks simply can’t be missed!

For any ice cream lovers unfamiliar with matcha it's a bright green powder made from finely ground green tea leaves. It has a delicious green tea taste and is well known for its health benefits.

Keeping with our mission to bring local, natural and mindful ice cream to the people  we have partnered with Shiba Matcha to supply our ice cream with high quality, certified organic matcha that is sourced directly from Nishio, Japan!

In discussing our quirky new Ice cream flavour I had the chance to ask Brandon and Darren of Shiba Matcha a few things about matcha and what their company is all about:

How did Shiba Matcha get its start?

A couple years ago I had discovered matcha (from a friend) while starting my journey towards better health. The catalyst for this journey was me ending up in the hospital with health issues relating to being overweight, burnt out, and stressed. At that point in time, I knew dramatic lifestyle changes needed to happen and it was time take control of my health.

My friend had explained to me the health benefits of matcha and I was amazed by its properties. This included the amount of antioxidants (up to 137x more than regular green tea), 2.5x more caffeine, contains L-Theanine (calms the mind, gives you caffeine without the crash). I saw it as a great complement to my 6AM workouts and instantly ordered a ton off Amazon ($800+ worth) to try it out.

As part of the $800 worth of matcha I consumed, I was shocked to find a lot of it being sourced from China and potential of it containing toxic content such as lead. Shiba Matcha was created out of necessity for wanting a high quality matcha product and knowing exactly where it came from and what was in it.

Little did I know, matcha prompted my lifelong mission towards continual research into natural health & wellness and wanting to share that knowledge with others.

This is a problem that goes beyond both matcha and myself. To see a world where everyone can be the healthiest versions of themselves. As a result, we've also created The 6AM Club (personal development and fitness club for Laurier students), various programs, and work with thought leaders to uncover the truth about health & wellness.

Why do your customers (and your team) love Matcha? What is awesome or unique about it?

 For its health benefits, taste, and functionality. It's a concentrated form of green tea which gives you a fair amount of antioxidants, has a stronger umami flavour than green tea, and gives you a form of clean energy (sustained energy throughout the day without the caffeine crash from coffee).

What would you like ice cream lovers to know about your Matcha?

It's sourced directly from Nishio, Japan (largest growing region for matcha), organic, and sustainably grown. It's also higher quality (and more expensive) than what you'll find on Amazon or at Costco.

What is the most unexpected benefit of Matcha or what is the most interesting/creative use of Matcha you have ever come across?

 Fooood... It never ceases to amaze us how much you can do with matcha. My business partner (Darren) and I are BIG foodies and will take breaks from our "whole food plant based diet" regimen to indulge on life's simple pleasures.

I've been to over 30 different cafes in North America serving an assortment of matcha drinks and desserts such as: Matcha Macarons with Chocolate Ganache, Oreo Matcha Cheesecake, Matcha Soft Serve Ice Cream, Yuzu Custard Pie with Matcha Whipped Cream, and Matcha Molten Lava Cake.

Whether you are new to the world of matcha or are a long time matcha lover, Goose Tracks is the perfect way to enjoy some delicious organic matcha ice cream! To learn about our newest supplier and for more info on all things matcha visit https://www.shibamatcha.com/!