diff --git a/benchmark.js b/benchmark.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dcee1e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/benchmark.js
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+// ran through matcha
+// ./node_modules/matcha/bin/matcha benchmark.js
+
+var chalk = require('./index.js');
+
+suite('chalk', function(){
+
+	bench('add colour', function(){
+		chalk.red('the fox jumps over the lazy dog');
+	});
+
+	bench('add several styles', function(){
+		chalk.blue.bgRed.bold('the fox jumps over the lazy dog') ;
+	});
+
+	bench('add nested styles', function(){
+		chalk.red('the fox jumps ', chalk.underline.bgBlue('over the lazy dog') + '!') ;
+	});
+
+});
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7fc8ba7..26db021 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
     "supports-color": "^0.2.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
+    "matcha": "^0.5.0",
     "mocha": "*"
   }
 }