Online retailers have begun seasonal sales this week, with matcha among the products seeing significant markdowns. On Thursday morning, major e-commerce platforms introduced discounts tied to their annual summer promotions. Several matcha brands, including both imported and domestic labels, are now available at lower prices to shoppers in New York.
The timing coincides with peak iced beverage demand. On Wednesday afternoon in Koreatown, tea shop workers reported a noticeable uptick in customers ordering iced matcha lattes. 'People are looking for something cool and not too sweet,' said one barista at 32nd Street’s Matchaful kiosk.
Retailers often use these sales to clear inventory ahead of new product launches later in the summer. According to a buyer for a Lower East Side grocery chain, the discounts are 'steep enough to drive bulk orders,' especially from restaurants seeking to cut costs on specialty drinks for the July rush.
Prices for ceremonial-grade matcha have dropped by as much as 30 percent online. Some brands are offering free shipping for orders placed through the weekend. The offers are expected to last through midnight Friday, though some items may sell out sooner.
For home cooks and small cafés, the markdown offers a brief window to stock up ahead of July’s continued heat.