KIWA

08/20/2025

08/18/2025

1. KIWA will be closed from August 27 to September 4 for a late summer break and Labor Day.
2. Our new seasonal menu starts on September 5th. While some matcha favorites will stay, we’ll be shifting into hojicha and fall inspired drinks and bites. If there’s anything from our current matcha or summer menu you’ll miss, now’s the time to grab it. Once it’s gone, it likely won’t return until next year.
3. A pop-up collaboration in Seoul with a tea house on August 30.
4. We’ll returning with more loose tea leaves, matcha, and plenty of new inspiration.

08/17/2025

Our Summer Seasonal Menu, including the full matcha series, will end on August 27. Only two weeks left to enjoy our famous Banana Matcha and Miso White Chocolate Matcha.
We will be closed from August 27 to September 4 for a late summer and Labor Day break, and will reopen on September 5 with our new Fall Seasonal Menu.

This season is inspired by Korean Thanksgiving Chuseok, traditional hotteok and kultteok, and the harvest gratitude captured in François Millet’s painting The Angelus.

The menu will feature muted brunette and brown tones to match your fall and winter outfits, with nutty and roasted flavors.

We are also introducing Hojicha, a roasted matcha (actually slightly different process with matcha though. If you love matcha but want something with deeper fall notes, you will enjoy it. And of course, we will have pumpkin spice options as well.

See you soon.

08/11/2025

This year, I had been planning a visit to matcha tea farms and have been in communication with the person in charge for several months. Recently, I received an update explaining the current global matcha shortage and how large companies like Hey Tea, Starbucks, and others are their top priority.

Unfortunately, small businesses like ours have been put on the back. Despite having prepaid for our order in advance few months ahead, we were unexpectedly informed that our shipment will be split into three separate deliveries without prior discussion.

We also tried to coordinate the visit schedule multiple times by email, and the farm had previously agreed to accommodate our timing. However, in their latest message, they canceled our visit due to an urgent business trip and stated that onsite visits will only be available for customers placing orders of 1,000 kg (2,204 lbs) or more.

Every business starts small, and trust is built through clear communication and keeping commitments. We feel this approach does not support a strong, long-term partnership.

Until we find a reliable partner who understands and respects small businesses like ours, we will only offer the limited matcha we currently have in stock (12 lbs) and will not be placing any new matcha powder orders.

Thank you for your continued understanding and support. We truly appreciate each and every one of you.

08/03/2025

KIWA has been growing with care and intention. Recently, we have begun to consider the possibility of opening a second location more seriously.

Many people have inquired about the idea, and it is something we have been reflecting on as well. We received an offer about a year ago opening a second location in downtown Lou, but at that time, we were not fully prepared. Thanks to your continued support, we now feel more stable and able to think about our next steps.

However, opening another location is not simple. KIWA is a small business operated by a single female owner, and each step forward requires thoughtful planning, time, and resources.

We believe in the potential to grow further, but only in a way that preserves our values and the spirit of KIWA. We are not currently considering franchising. We hope to remain a small, community-based tea house with a sense of intimacy and care.

At this stage, we are open to conversations with individuals who share our vision. If you are interested in investment, partnership, or co-operating a future KIWA space, we would sincerely welcome the opportunity to speak with you.

This is the beginning of an open dialogue.
If you are curious, please feel free to contact us.

With appreciation,
Team KIWA & Sooyoung Cho
scho@kiwausa.com

07/30/2025

August updates

1. KIWA will be closed from August 27 to September 4 for a late summer break and Labor Day.
2. Our new seasonal menu starts on September 5th. While some matcha favorites will stay, we’ll be shifting into hojicha and fall inspired drinks and bites. If there’s anything from our current matcha or summer menu you’ll miss, now’s the time to grab it. Once it’s gone, it likely won’t return until next year.
3. A pop-up collaboration in Seoul with a tea house on August 30.
4. Also visiting tea farms in Korea and Japan, returning with more loose tea leaves, matcha, and plenty of new inspiration.

07/29/2025

Hi, this is Soo. I’ll be in Seoul for a few days later this summer and will be doing a pop up at Woongcha ( ).

As some of you already know, I visited Korea last winter and spent time at tea farms in Hadong and Bosung. Through Dojaemungcha ( ), I was introduced to a group of young tea lovers working in the industry. Since then, we have stayed in touch and decided to collaborate on a pop up in Seoul.

The theme is “Americanized Matcha,” inspired by how sushi has been recreated in the US with ingredients like cream cheese and avocado. I thought it would be fun to introduce matcha in a similar tone, using flavors like mango, lavender, and miso white chocolate. It is playful, a little bold, and rooted in our experience serving tea in Lou, KY.

We will also be sharing Kentucky teas in Seoul, including selections from Elmwood distributor, Dansville, along with herbal teas from the Red River Gorge, Appalachian Mt.

If you are curious about the matcha and tea scenes in the US or just want to connect in person, whether you are a tea fan, work in the field, or happen to be nearby in Seoul, we would love to see you. More details coming soon. Thank you always.

07/21/2025

Thank you for being patient for waiting your pre-ordered Matcha. Due to matcha shortage and US custom process it took little longer than we expected. Now custom process just got released, it will be in Louisville in few days. We’ll post it again once we Really Really get the green powders. 💚

07/15/2025

Hi, this is Sooyoung.
As we have been getting busier recently, we’re currently looking for a temporary position (barista/kitchen assistant) through the end of August.

There’s a chance we’ll take a late summer/Labor Day break, so after that, the role may shift to occasional backup shifts— about 20 hours/ month, covering weekdays or weekends.

Please feel free to reach out if you’re interested or have any questions!

07/06/2025

Summer Workshop
#1 what makes tea tea.
- what is tea
- how does tea made?
- sensory guide for tasing
- six tea categories and tasting

06/30/2025

Did you know at KIWA there is a special space upstairs? If you need semi-private cozy space for meeting, private tea party, book clubs, we have perfect space for you. Reservation is required a week ahead.
$80-$100/hr, or $50/hr+extra foods and drinks orders.

06/28/2025

New ceremonial matcha batch is coming soon.
Same matcha powder we use at KIWA
(Except for the ceremonial uji usacha)

Reserve your pouch or tin cans. Especially tin cans are sold really fast- we sold 25 cans in 3days.

This item is pick up at KIWA (2235 Frankfort ave #104, Louisville, KY, 40206) ONLY
if you want delivery, delivery fee will be added

Pick up will be available once matcha batches arrived at KIWA (Expected delivered by 7/20).

Link at Bio: https://www.kiwausa.com/product-page/matcha-pre-order