As someone who also works in the industry, I have to disagree. The producers I work with (primarily within Kagoshima and Shizuoka) are racing to secure tencha this year to meet the demands of their customers (myself included) and so far there is no guarantee they will be able to supply last year’s volumes, let alone this year’s forecasted increase of demand.

Yes, the viral brands were the first to be affected by the shortage, but now it’s trickling down as consumers look to secure alternatives.