Meet Matthew Morton: Millennial Matcha entrepreneur and alleged boyfriend of Sofia Richie

David M. Benett / Getty Images for the Simon Lee Gallery

One of the most successful models of her generation, an Instagram star, stylist and ex Tatler cover star, Sofia Richie – Lionel Richie’s daughter – was nicknamed by last year Tatler the “incarnation of the young Hollywood cool”. After her recent breakup with Scott Disick (Kourtney Kardashian’s former partner), 22-year-old Sofia appears to have found love with Matthew Morton. So who is the ambitious young entrepreneur who has caught your eye?

Morton and Sofia were recently spotted having dinner at Nobu in Malibu, with a source reporting this US Weekly: ‘They are trying not to make a big deal about their relationship or how serious it is. But they are definitely seeing each other.

A native of Los Angeles, Morton left the West Coast to attend NYU, where he studied business management with a minor in art history. Speaking to the corporate website Toolsy in February this year, the 27-year-old described himself as “the founder and CEO of Cha Cha Matcha, a food and beverage company (CPG) specializing in matcha, green tea and other functional beverages.” He has lived between New York and LA for the past eight years, before recently moving to his hometown to launch new Cha Cha Matcha locations.

DAVID ROEMER

Morton clearly has a keen eye for a seasoned trading venture. For the uninitiated, matcha is a fine green tea powder that traditionally comes from East Asia where it is used in Japanese tea ceremonies. The highest quality and highly nutritious matcha is nicknamed “ceremonial grade” and has become a hot product among wellness brigades around the world.

Cha Cha Matcha was quick to jump on the bandwagon, opening its first location in New York City in 2016. The brand has since expanded to include six locations between New York and Los Angeles, as well as a large online store spanning matcha powder, milk, iced teas, merchandise, and more.

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Speaking about his introduction to the industry, Morton explained: ‘My family has been in the food and beverage business for four generations. It was definitely an inspiration to me. Walking with my dad in his restaurants and hotels has always been something I’ve always enjoyed. Being young and seeing all these great operations as I grew up was truly special. It has always been a dream of mine to have a hotel or restaurant.

Explaining his approach to entrepreneurship, he added: ‘What I understand through this process is that sometimes being an expert on things can actually get in your way … It’s important to just have a positive attitude and make things easier. Sometimes you just have to trust your instincts and try. We were 23, fresh out of school and had no experience in building or branding. We just went with our courage and we did it. It took a long time and we made a lot of mistakes. We failed small, modified and then amplified. ‘

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Yet the ultra-instagrammable brand, loved by influencers and celebrities including other Sofia models Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid, has found itself in trouble in recent months. In July Eater reported allegations of “problematic business practices relating to hiring, promotional gifts and payment of its employees”. Morton and fellow co-founder Conrad Sandelman were quick to address the concerns, posting a statement on Instagram reading: “ To our friends, followers and our Cha Cha community.

‘As white owners of a business that employs and serves many people of color, there are no more people on the sidelines. As a company, we have a lot to learn, we are taking this opportunity to listen and educate ourselves. It is clear that we must do better and we must be held accountable. It is our responsibility to play our part in the fight against racial inequality and we are committed to using our platform to take a stand. “

The message went on to say that the brand would donate $ 25,000 to a number of social justice and charitable organizations, signing up with a promise to “do better, together.” With love and respect, Matt and Conrad. ‘

About how he likes to spend time when he’s not working at Cha Cha Matcha, Morton said Toolsy who has “always been passionate about art, film, music and literature” and loves “reading, meditating and exercising”, explaining: “I really enjoy reading novels, so I try to read one book for fun and another to improve myself. to meditate 5-10 minutes in the morning and in the evening. ‘Ironically considering the cult-like Instagram following of Cha Cha Matcha, Morton added: my phone. Phones are a constant source of worry and distraction that take you out of the present moment. ”

DAVID ROEMER

No doubt this self-discipline will have turned out to be a draw for Sofia, who said so Tatler last year: “I think a lot of people think they need to prove their relationships through social media and I’m just happy to be private about my relationship … I enjoy having my own little private life.”

DAVID ROEMER

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