We've been lucky enough to know and admire Cara Grogan, founder of Ohayō Modern Matcha, for years now. She's a woman who wears many hats — mum of three, creative, business owner, tea enthusiast — and wears them with both strength and softness. Her journey is one of integrity, intuition, and real beauty.
We’re honoured to spotlight her business and her story.
What sparked the beginning of Ohayō Modern Matcha — and what personal meaning does the name ‘Ohayō’ hold for you?
I’ve loved matcha since I was 11 years old, when I travelled to Japan as an exchange student — but even earlier than that, I’ve always loved tea. That came from the closeness I shared with my Nana. Some of my earliest memories are sitting with her drinking tea. It’s been a quiet ritual in my life every morning for as long as I can remember.
When I moved back to Australia four years ago after living in Asia for 22 years, I couldn’t find any good quality matcha. It just wasn’t something local cafés had — and when it did start appearing about 18 months ago, it was honestly awful. Not the matcha I grew up drinking or knew and loved. So, I began importing it for my personal use and quickly realised I wanted other people to experience the real thing — proper Japanese ceremonial-grade matcha and all of its beautiful benefits.
For the name, I wanted something with Japanese meaning that also felt modern and fresh. Morning rituals have always been an important part of my life, so it made sense to call it Ohayō, which means “good morning” in Japanese. It felt short, happy, simple — and right.
As a founder, what are your non-negotiables when it comes to business integrity?
For me, quality is everything. I’ll never compromise on the integrity of my product just to cut costs or grow faster. Every batch of matcha I import has to be something I would proudly serve to my own family. I’m also deeply committed to honesty — with my suppliers, my stockists, and my customers. It matters to me that people trust what they’re drinking. There’s so much noise in the wellness world, and I want Ohayō to be known for being transparent, grounded, and always operating from a place of care and truth.
You’re a busy mum of three — how do you find harmony between running a business, staying creative, and showing up for your family?
My family is the reason I do this — they’re a part of everything I create. I never really struggle with creativity; ideas seem to stream through my head constantly. The challenge is finding the time and energy to bring them all to life. I have no off switch!
My girls will always come first, but I also think it’s so important for them to see their mum creating, growing, and believing in herself. I want them to know they can do anything — and that staying true to yourself and working hard really does lead to something beautiful.
What’s been the most unexpected or surprising lesson on your entrepreneurial journey so far?
Definitely launching right as the global matcha shortage began — that was… unexpected! I’d worked for over a year to get everything ready, and suddenly, just weeks after launching, sourcing product became a massive challenge.
But I didn’t give up. I stayed honest with the amazing cafés that had taken me on early. At one point, I even referred some of them to other matcha suppliers I trusted, because I didn’t want their businesses to suffer — even if it meant losing them as clients. But I didn’t lose a single one. That taught me that honesty, even when it’s hard, always pays off.
Another big lesson? Persistence. When someone says no, I just ask again — and again — until they say yes. That kind of resilience only comes when you really believe in what you’re offering.
Where can we find you?
I’m still fairly new — only a few months in — but I’m so proud to already be stocked in some incredible cafés like Lobby in Currumbin, The Commons, The Bread Social, Sun Devil, Juniors, The Hearth, Happy Days, and Endentre.
You can also buy Ohayō matcha for home from beautiful stores like Fox Pantry, Your Organic Health Shop, The Pines Health Food Store, The Wholefood Pantry, The Farm and of course my website.
I’m still doing it all myself — blending, packing, designing, delivering — so getting out and pitching is a little tricky at times. But honestly, most of these amazing businesses found me through word of mouth, which is really special.
And finally — what’s next for Ohayō Modern Matcha?
I won’t give too much away just yet — but I’ve got some exciting things in the works and I truly can’t wait to share them.
Let’s just say the Ohayō world is growing… so please follow along. There’s more to come. xxx
