How Benevola in Barcelona uses Culinary Matcha

Case Study: How Benevola Barcelona Used Our Culinary Matcha in Pastry

In today’s innovative pastry landscape, matcha is much more than a trendy color and when used thoughtfully, it can enhance flavor, visual appeal, and brand differentiation in premium desserts. A great example of this in action is the collaboration with Benevola, a forward-thinking patisserie in Barcelona that is redefining plant-based desserts with creativity and technique. (benevola.es)

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Who Is Benevola?

Benevola is a vegan pastry shop in the Sant Martí district of Barcelona that focuses on artisanal, seasonal desserts crafted with quality ingredients and technical precision. The founders; Camilo, an experienced chef with over a decade in professional kitchens, and Toni, trained in international hotel management, launched the brand to fill a gap in the market for refined vegan pastries that don’t compromise on taste or experience. (benevola.es)

The shop’s philosophy is rooted in “pastelería de autor”, desserts that are as much artistic expressions as culinary creations, often presented and crafted with museum-like care. Their menu changes seasonally, showcasing innovative flavor combinations inspired by fresh, natural ingredients. (Directo al Paladar)

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Why Matcha?

When Benevola set out to develop a matcha-inspired pastry, they needed an ingredient that could deliver on flavor depth, color stability, and performance in a complex recipe and not just aesthetics. After evaluating options, they selected our culinary-grade matcha for its ability to:

• Hold vibrant green tones in doughs and gels without dulling, even after exposure to heat
• Provide a balanced umami-rich flavor, enhancing sweetness rather than competing with it
• Integrate smoothly in layered pastry elements, crucial for multi-component desserts

This reliability in professional baking environments made it an ideal choice for Benevola’s culinary needs.

The resulting creation highlighted several strengths of matcha as an ingredient in modern pastry:

• Balanced Flavor: Matcha elevated the overall taste profile without overpowering the other refined elements.
• Visual Impact: The natural green hue added both aesthetic appeal and visual storytelling which aligns with wellness and plant-forward branding.
• Functional Performance: Our matcha’s fine particle size ensured smooth integration into creams and fillings, supporting the technical execution chefs demand.

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Matcha as a Strategic Ingredient

Benevola’s use of matcha reflects a broader trend in premium foodservice: chefs and pastry teams are increasingly choosing ingredient grades based on application-specific performance, not just origin prestige. Culinary matcha offers:

• Heat and texture performance for baking and desserts
• Predictable flavor consistency across batches
• A visually compelling element that aligns with seasonal and lifestyle-oriented menus

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Elevating Pastry

The matcha dessert created with Benevola showcases how thoughtful ingredient selection drives both creativity and quality.

As matcha continues to grow beyond its traditional tea roots into pastry, confectionery, and product innovation, case studies like this highlight the ingredient’s versatility and strategic value for brands focused on excellence and differentiation.

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