UMD Muslim student launches matcha pop-up

As sisters in the UMD Muslim community gathered after midnight for worship and remembrance in the musallah, the Muslim prayer space on campus,  the new matcha pop-up Btween Sips held its first event at the UMD MSA’s Sisters’ Qiyam Night. 

Yasmin Kotb, the sophomore information science major who founded Btween Sips in February, turned her love for matcha making into a hobby and eventually into a vendoring business. She held her first pop-up at a UMD MSA iftar on March 3.

“The UMD [iftar] was a really good place to start off because I was able to share my matcha with people on campus,” said Kotb. “From there I have been posting more, I’ve been improving in recording content, I’ve been improving the menu, getting better supplies.” 

Before Kotb started her business she was getting requests from people about trying her matcha. She was initially just going to open an Instagram account for her matcha, she said, but then she decided to make it a vendoring business so people can actually get the chance to try her matcha.

“I started Btween Sips because I wanted something that felt like mine, something that reflected my taste, my style,” said Kotb. “I’ve always been thinking about doing a cafe, starting my own business. I didn’t expect to start it so early but I do want it to become something bigger.” 

As Kotb navigated the challenges of her matcha business, her family supported her along the way — from helping her with transportation to assisting with filming, marketing, videos and funding.

“Everyone [in the family] is supporting her, because it is a very nice business that she could turn into a store one day,” said Adam Kotb, Yasmin’s brother, a high school senior and incoming freshman at UMD. 

Mariam Almuhammad, a sophomore physiology and neurobiology major and Kotb’s roommate, recalled Kotb always talking about her love for matcha and her hopes to start a matcha business. 

One day, Almuhammad saw the cups and the matcha that Kotb bought for her business in their dorm room. Now after learning how to make matcha, she sometimes assists Kotb in creating the drinks and taking orders at her pop-ups.

“I think her first [pop-up] she had was very successful,” said Almuhammad. “People went out of their way to stay after the event to buy her matcha.” 

Initially, Almuhammad noticed Kotb had some hesitation with pursuing her business idea, but she continued to encourage Kotb. 

“I have seen Yasmin grow herself within her business,” said Almuhammad. “She’s way more comfortable, she’s more encouraged and motivated to go out and have all these pop-ups back to back.” 

Kotb’s experience running Btween Sips’ social media page has made the current information science major more interested in marketing. She is now considering getting a masters in a related field. 

“I think Btween Sips has made me a more confident person ,” said Kotb. “I’m more confident in my skills and abilities, I’m starting to think bigger about my goals, and it’s starting to feel more achievable.”

Since February Btween Sips has held multiple pop ups at events including the Towson Eid Gala, An-Nur Eid Festival and the PCC Land Day Gala. 

“Within the next year I do want to make my own logo cart for the matcha,” said Kotb, “and [someday] I do want to make a store.”

_{Image credits: Cover photo by Hamza Muhib for Al-Hikmah.}