Michael Lillelund and Harish Koneru Introduce TheOther Matcha at Miami Art Week
Editor's note: This article was originally published December 9, 2025. It was updated in April 2026 to reflect the latest milestones from TheOther. Updates include expanded sourcing details, and a new reader resources section.
Michael Lillelund and Harish Koneru, founders of TheOther, introduced the premium matcha brand during Miami Art Week with an intimate launch at SOPRA Club, on the upper level of Forte dei Marmi, hosted alongside Central Cee. Set against the backdrop of one of the world’s most influential cultural moments, the event marked the arrival of TheOther as a new player at the intersection of wellness, hospitality and contemporary lifestyle.
But the real reveal was quieter, greener, and profoundly intentional. TheOther introduced Master’s Blend, a premium matcha handcrafted in partnership with one of Japan’s most respected tea families, whose lineage spans five generations in Uji. The product bridges deep Japanese tea tradition with Scandinavian-inspired refinement, inviting consumers into a modern ritual shaped by integrity, craftsmanship, and clarity.
With its Miami flagship café set to open in 2026, TheOther is positioning itself as a lifestyle touchpoint during a moment when wellness, design, and culture are intersecting in new ways. Experiencing the launch firsthand, the brand’s ethos came through not with spectacle but with subtlety. It offered another kind of luxury: stillness inside the whirlwind of Art Basel.
Master's Blend: A New Standard for Ceremonial-Grade Matcha from Uji
Master’s Blend takes a meticulous approach to quality. Sourced from first-harvest leaves grown in Uji, the matcha’s smooth, umami-focused character comes from its elevated amino acid profile and unusually low bitterness. It represents the brand’s commitment to transparency and craft, paired with a philosophy of “no cutting corners, ever.”
Master's Blend is composed of two heritage cultivars, Saemidori and Yabukita, both sourced from family-owned farms in Uji where the same growers have been refining their craft for more than 180 years across five generations. Saemidori is prized for its vibrant green color and natural sweetness, while Yabukita, the most widely planted Japanese cultivar, contributes structure and depth. The pairing is what allows Master's Blend to deliver the smooth, umami-forward profile with unusually low bitterness that defines the brand's house style.
Retailing for $31.99 (25 grams) and $64.99 (80 grams), the blend arrives in minimalist, design-forward packaging that mirrors the brand’s ethos. Each canister includes a scannable QR code that traces its sourcing back to Kyoto, reinforcing the integrity behind the product.
TheOther: A Matcha Brand Built for the Modern Wellness Consumer
TheOther was founded by Michael Lillelund and Harish Koneru, two leaders whose backgrounds stretch across fashion, luxury ventures, wellness innovation, and technology. Their combined approach has created a brand that feels culturally attuned while remaining rooted in heritage.
The forthcoming Miami café will introduce a dedicated matcha-first concept shaped in collaboration with Japanese chefs. The space is envisioned as serene, modern, and intentional, encouraging wellness without the overly sugary distractions common in contemporary café culture. It also signals the beginning of an international expansion that blends lifestyle, culinary craft, and design.
Inside the Art Basel Launch at SOPRA Club
The late-night celebration matched the rhythm of Miami Art Week. SOPRA Club’s upper level transformed into a space where the brand’s matcha identity played alongside the glamour of Basel’s after-dark energy. Central Cee hosted with effortless command, lending cultural credibility to a brand that positions itself at the intersection of wellness and the creative world.
Throughout the night, conversations centered not only on the debut but also on how matcha is evolving in the lifestyle conversation. Attendees seemed drawn to the idea of a ritual that feels grounding during a week defined by overstimulation. TheOther framed that moment visually and conceptually, reinforcing its commitment to intentional living.
Interview: Michael Lillelund and Harish Koneru on Building TheOther
Caroline Dalal: What inspired you to create TheOther, and how did this collaboration with the historic tea farming family come together?
Harish Koneru, Co-Founder & CEO: The inspiration for TheOther was driven by a desire to bring a premium, ceremonial-grade matcha to the American consumer with integrity and transparency. We wanted a brand built on the philosophy of "no cutting corners, ever.”
My background heavily influenced this pursuit. Prior to TheOther, my family office acquired Renoon. Renoon is an advanced technology platform that connects products to their deeper story—origin, craft, and use—creating a new culture of products and a richer way for customers to engage with what they buy. Working with leading luxury and lifestyle brands, Renoon adds trusted, third-party validation to the claims brands make. This experience reinforced the value of deep sourcing, authenticity, and clear storytelling, which became the guiding principles for TheOther.
To ensure this quality, we established a strong partnership with a fifth-generation master tea blender from Uji. This relationship secures our supply of the first harvest matcha and ensures our product reflects the highest standards of Japanese tea tradition. On each canister of TheOther is a QR code where you can scan and trace their supply chain all the way back to Uji, Kyoto.
Caroline Dalal: TheOther is described as a blend of tradition and modern luxury. How did you strike that balance when developing the Master’s Blend?
Michael Lillelund, Co-Founder & President: The balance of tradition and modern luxury is embedded in the DNA of TheOther. The tradition is rooted in the quality of the matcha itself: we use ceremonial-grade, first-harvest leaves selected for their vibrant color and rich amino acid profile, sourced from Uji, Japan.
Modern luxury is expressed through our brand identity and product profile. We infused the brand with a Scandinavian-inspired simplicity and clean design. The Master's Blend was expertly developed to have a natural balance of umami and sweetness with exceptionally low bitterness. This makes it perfectly enjoyable for modern consumers, whether used in traditional preparation or contemporary drinking rituals. We speak to a discerning, design-minded audience who values craftsmanship and intentional living.
Caroline Dalal: You’ve all worked on major brand ventures before, including 818 Tequila. What feels different or exciting about launching a matcha brand during Miami Art Week?
Michael Lillelund, Co-Founder & President: My previous ventures, such as co-founding 42°RAW—one of Europe's first plant-based café concepts—and investing in 818 Tequila , gave me a unique perspective on spotting cultural shifts.
Launching TheOther is different because we are aligning with a shift toward mental clarity and holistic wellness. Miami Art Week is a huge stage for culture, where fashion, luxury, and creative expression converge. It allows us to introduce TheOther as more than matcha—as a community blending fashion, wellness, and lifestyle with purpose. We aim to leverage high-impact luxury collaborations, including with brands under the LVMH portfolio, to cement our position as a culture-defining touchpoint.
Caroline Dalal: The forthcoming cafe concept is already generating buzz. What can people expect from TheOther’s first location in Miami?
Harish Koneru, Co-Founder & CEO: The Miami flagship café, opening in 2026 , is designed to be the physical home of TheOther’s brand experience.
People can expect:
A focus on being one of Miami’s only matcha-first cafés.
An atmosphere dedicated to health and wellness, moving away from sugar-filled drinks.
A calm, design-forward space where consumers can experience our premium matcha.
A contemporary menu developed in close collaboration with esteemed Japanese chefs, blending the refined rituals of matcha with a modern twist.
This flagship will serve as the starting point for expanding to a chain internationally and locally.
A New Matcha Ritual Takes Root in Miami: TheOther's 2026 Café Plans
TheOther’s arrival during Art Basel reflects a shift in how luxury consumers think about wellness and design, especially in Miami, where global culture and daily lifestyle blend seamlessly. The brand’s focus on craftsmanship, sourcing, and thoughtful ritual positions it to become a new anchor in the city’s evolving wellness landscape.
As the crowd at SOPRA Club drifted into the early hours, the contrast between the high-energy atmosphere and the meditative nature of matcha felt deliberate. TheOther is building a culture of clarity during a time when people increasingly seek meaning in their daily rituals. That duality gave its Art Basel debut a distinct resonance.
Master’s Blend is now available at TheOther.com, with the Miami flagship café set to open in early 2026. Based on the brand’s first showing, the next chapter will be one to watch.
Frequently Asked Questions About TheOther's Master's Blend Matcha
What is Master's Blend matcha?
Master's Blend is the flagship ceremonial-grade matcha from TheOther, a New York and Miami-based brand co-founded by Michael Lillelund and Harish Koneru. It is made from first-harvest leaves picked in early spring on family-owned farms in Uji, Japan, where the same growers have been refining their craft for more than 180 years across five generations. The blend is composed of two heritage cultivars, Saemidori and Yabukita, hand-selected and stone-milled in small batches to produce a vibrant green powder rich in antioxidants and L-theanine. The result is a smooth, naturally sweet matcha with delicate umami notes and unusually low bitterness, designed for both traditional preparation and modern daily ritual.
Where can I buy TheOther matcha?
Master's Blend is sold directly through theother.com, the brand's official site, and through REVOLVE, which carries the 25g size. When availability is low, the brand offers a 'Notify Me' option on its product pages. International expansion and additional retail partnerships are expected as the brand scales through 2026.
What is ceremonial-grade matcha and how is it different from culinary grade?
Ceremonial-grade matcha is the highest tier of Japanese green tea powder, made exclusively from the first harvest of the youngest leaves and buds at the top of the tea plant. These leaves contain the highest concentration of L-theanine, which produces a naturally sweet, smooth flavor and supports calm, sustained energy. Ceremonial-grade matcha is intended to be enjoyed on its own, whisked with hot water in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony style. Culinary-grade matcha, by contrast, is harvested later in the season from older leaves. It carries more catechins, which create the more bitter, robust flavor that holds up well in lattes, baking, and cooking. Master's Blend is ceremonial-grade and sourced from the first spring harvest in Uji, Japan, the region widely regarded as the birthplace of modern matcha.
Who founded TheOther?
TheOther was founded by Michael Lillelund and Harish Koneru. Michael Lillelund is a fashion, luxury, and wellness entrepreneur whose previous ventures include co-founding 42°RAW, one of Europe's earliest plant-based café concepts, and an early investment in 818 Tequila. He has also served as a US partner at Shamballa Jewels and is the founder of Shamballa Eyewear, and was named a World Economic Forum Global Shaper at 26. Harish Koneru leads his family office, which acquired the sustainable fashion technology platform Renoon. He previously worked with the Techstars Space Accelerator in partnership with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and is leading a 500-plus home real estate development in Texas. Together they built TheOther on a stated philosophy of 'no cutting corners, ever,' anchored in a multi-year partnership with a fifth-generation tea family in Uji, Kyoto.
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