Featured Image Credit: Tyla
Topics: Food and Drink, Social Media, TikTok, Celebrity
Kya Buller
When a new product lands at Blank Street, best believe us Tyla girls want to be among the first to try it - especially when it was created by none other than Stormzy's longtime stylist Melissa Holdbrook-Akposoe.
Melissa, known affectionately as Mel, is widely regarded as an influencer with opinions we can actually trust.
Owing to Stormzy's song, 'Mel Made Me Do It', those who are influenced to try out Mel's picks often echo the same phrase across their social platforms, and even hashtag #MMMDI - she quite clearly knows her stuff.
The stylist and social media star has also been known to lead beauty, homeware, and fashion items to sell out upon voicing her approval online.
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Mel is also credited with popularising Blank Street's Blueberry Matcha, which has since become the iced drink of choice for it girls... and now, there's a new contender on the scene.
When it was announced that there was a #MMMDI x Blank Street crossover, which resulted in the creation of Mel's Maple Matcha, we just had to try it.
The ideal drink to take us from summer to autumn, the genuinely delicious beverage blends maple syrup, sweet cinnamon and, of course, matcha.
I paired mine with some oat milk, and the drink is then served over ice.
Having only gotten into matcha drinks quite recently, I was prepared to not be that impressed... but it's amazing.
When my colleague Brogan and I first arrived at Blank Street's Manchester Piccadilly branch, there was a huge queue at the till, with quite a few customers placing orders for Mel's Maple Matcha.
The drink is a secret item you can only order if you're in the know - but it's available across all UK stores.
Mel's following - which stands at 349K on Instagram and 183.9K on TikTok at the time of writing - is clearly a very loyal one.
And for good reason, too. It wasn't only me clearly impressed with the smooth, refreshing drink.
Brogan, who declared to me just moments before we entered that she isn't a fan of matcha, loved it too.
The price of Mel's Maple Matcha is £4.40 for a small, and £4.90 for a large - which puts it in my cheeky treat bracket rather than something I could afford every day - although I'm sure that just makes every perfect sip taste even sweeter.
Having hosted a meet and greet in London on 21 September, Mel reflected on the success of her very own Blank Street drink on Instagram.
She wrote: "I’m so over the moon with this whole launch and I can’t believe how many of you have been riding this hard for me.
"We’ve literally sold THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of Mel’s Maple Matchas 🥳 Glory be to God and long may it continue.
"My Maple Matcha will be out for a few months, so if you’ve not had the opportunity to try it yet, you still have some time."
I would very much recommend you heed Mel's advice and don't miss out - I already can't wait for my next cup.