‘Socially unacceptable’: Influencer divides with mid-flight act

An Australian travelling home from New York took it upon herself to whip up one of the delicacies she tried in the Big Apple.

A video of an Australian influencer making an iced matcha latte during a flight has gone viral, sparking strong opinions among viewers about the unconventional move.

Riley Hemson took to TikTok to share a clip featuring her fellow social media star and travel buddy, Jaz Hand, whipping up the caffeine alternative while seated in business class.

“I can’t believe she’s doing this on the plane!” Riley exclaimed, hand over her mouth in disbelief, in a clip that has now racked up over two million views.

She then turned the camera to show Hand, who was intently focused on preparing the vibrant green drink with an electric whisk inside one of the airline’s cups.

Hand then poured the mixture into a takeaway cup she had kept from Blank Street, a popular cafe in New York that the pair frequented during their travels.

“I’ve seen it all, truly,” Hemson added in her caption.

Commenters were sharply divided, with some finding it hilarious and even “genius” while others expressed confusion over the antics.

“Gotta do what you gotta do, aye Jaz,” one user chuckled.

Others labelled it “iconic,” praising Hand for her “dedication”.

“Matcha is life,” another fan chimed in.

“OMG, amazing! I’m going to try this next time I fly,” declared someone else.

Meanwhile, some viewers were simply bewildered.

“This can’t be real,” one commented.

“No, is she okay?” another asked, and someone else simply said, “Hell no.”

Other comments included sentiments like “socially unacceptable,” “unhinged,” and “who is this diva?”

“Okay, no joke. I had someone do this next to me on the way to Europe (in economy), and she ended up spraying it all over my white singlet. I wasn’t impressed,” shared one jetsetter.

An influencer has shocked onlookers by making a matcha on board a plane. Picture: TikTok

She even brought the takeaway cup from her favourite New York coffee shop with her. Picture: TikTok

Hand later posted a follow-up clip to her account, showing her 160,000 followers how she crafted the in-flight drink.

Along with using the takeaway cups from Blank Street, she had also bought the cafe’s in-house matcha powder, which retails for around $40 AUD.

Hand began by sifting the matcha through a fine sieve into a mug before transferring it into a glass and mixing it with a small amount of water.

After whisking the mixture with her handheld whisk, she poured it into the takeaway cup filled with ice and added a dash of milk.

She used a sieve and an electric whisk to make the green beverage. Picture: TikTok

The woman had no qualms about what her fellow passengers thought of her DIY drink set up. Picture: TikTok

To sweeten the drink, she dissolved a brown sugar cube in boiling water, added it in, and then gave the whole concoction a good stir.

After taking a sip, she declared it “so good” and claimed it “slayed.”

“I really need to hurry up and create my own matcha brand, lmao,” she added in the comments. “I’ll call it Jaz Street.”

A large iced matcha from the Instagram-famous cafe retails for $8.50 AUD.

Matcha is a trendy superfood that originated in Japan, where it has been drunk as a healthy beverage for centuries.

The powder is made from high-quality whole tea leaves that are finely ground, commonly serving as an alternative to coffee, offering mental alertness without the jitters or caffeine crash.

However, after recently becoming a social media sensation, the world is now facing a global matcha shortage.

At Simply Native, a Sydney-based business, customers are limited to purchasing “one item per brand per person.”

“Customers will no longer be able to buy multiple sizes or varieties of matcha from the same brand,” a statement read.

The two influencers recently took a trip to New York where they became obsessed with Blank Street cafe and its matcha lattes. Picture: TikTok

Production has been unable to keep pace with the recent worldwide demand for matcha. Picture: TikTok

“Many tea farmers and matcha suppliers, such as Marukyu Koyamen and Ippodo Tea, are struggling to meet this demand,” the business explained.

They noted that a recent surge in demand has prompted these limits, which apply both online and in-store, adding that matcha is only harvested once a year during a particular period.

Ippodo Tea has been selling matcha for over 300 years.

Last month, they announced, “Production has been unable to keep pace with the recent surge in demand for matcha, leading to a shortage of supply.”