How Many Drinks Can You Make with 1kg of Green Tea Powder?
A Practical Guide for Cost Control and Menu Planning
If you're running a café or food service and using bulk green tea powder, one key question naturally comes up: "How many servings can I get from 1kg?" The answer directly affects your ingredient cost, pricing strategy, and menu planning.
This guide walks you through typical usage amounts per drink, estimated serving counts from 1kg, and tips for designing cost-efficient green tea-based beverages. We’ll focus primarily on sweetened green tea powder, which is commonly used in Japan and often includes sugar for flavor balance.
How Much Green Tea Powder Is Used per Drink?
The actual amount depends on your drink type and desired flavor strength. Here's a general breakdown:
| Drink Type | Powder per Drink | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Iced Tea | 10–15g | Mixed with water or milk |
| Stronger Brew | 15–20g | For richer taste or sweeter profile |
| Latte/Smoothie Base | 12–18g | Blended with milk and/or ice |
Note: Unsweetened green tea powder may only require 5–8g per drink.
For calculation purposes, we’ll focus on 10–15g, the typical range for sweetened iced green tea.
How Many Servings in 1kg?
Let’s do the math using 1kg = 1000g:
- 10g per drink → 1000 ÷ 10 = 100 servings
- 12g per drink → 1000 ÷ 12 ≈ 83 servings
- 15g per drink → 1000 ÷ 15 ≈ 66 servings
- 18g per drink → 1000 ÷ 18 ≈ 55 servings
You can expect somewhere between 50 to 100 drinks per kilogram, depending on the recipe.
Ingredient Cost Simulation
Assume your cost per kilogram of powder is ¥1,500 (approx. $10 USD). Your per-drink cost would be:
| Powder Used | Cost per Drink |
|---|---|
| 10g | ¥15 |
| 15g | ¥22.5 |
| 18g | ¥27 |
Even with a rich-tasting drink, the cost often stays under ¥30 (about $0.20), making sweetened green tea powder a very cost-effective ingredient.
Adapting to Different Service Styles
Here’s how different setups may tailor their green tea usage:
- Self-Serve or Events: Stick to 10g for a lighter drink with high yield and lower cost.
- Specialty Cafés or Dessert Shops: Use 15g+ to create a bold, satisfying experience.
- Milk-Based Lattes: Balance powder with milk and ice to manage both cost and flavor.
Your portion size can directly impact profit margins, so it’s smart to match usage with your customer expectations and brand identity.
Conclusion
With 1kg of sweetened green tea powder, you can generally prepare 50–100 drinks, depending on how rich or light you want the flavor. By optimizing your powder usage per cup, you’ll strike a balance between customer satisfaction and cost control.
Whether you're planning a summer drink lineup or launching a new dessert drink, this guide helps ensure efficient purchasing and smart menu design.
