Our story
Matcha for
everyone.
Vale is a modern matcha company based in Pioneer Square, Seattle. Founded by Luke Larson, who grew up on the Olympic Peninsula, Vale was built on a simple conviction: that exceptional matcha should be accessible to everyone.
Today, we source the finest tencha leaves and matcha from established Japanese growers, applying our Cascadia Matcha Standard to every glass. That same standard comes to life across our cafes, mobile matcha bars, and automated technology, as well as our at-home products and wholesale partnerships.
Vale exists to make magic, and to bring the real benefits of matcha to everyone.
With love for tea, product innovation, and hospitality, we are redefining what it means to drink matcha.
Chef-crafted drinks
Matcha made with intention.
Our Michelin-trained Head of Craft, Jeffrey Hayden, trained in some of the world's most demanding kitchens before turning that obsession with excellence toward matcha. When a global shortage threatened to compromise quality, he flew to Japan, tasting leaves across farms in Kyoto, Kagoshima, and Shizuoka until he found shade-grown matcha worthy of the cup.
That same taste-driven finesse shapes everything that follows: the balance of a recipe, the texture of the froth, the way a single sip should make you feel alive. It is not just a drink. It is matcha made by someone who refuses to pour anything less than the best.
Our philosophy
The Cascadia Matcha Standard.
Everything we make is held to one standard.
Leaf-First
Great matcha begins with the perfect leaf. The color, the aroma, the texture, and the finish are already present in the raw material. Our job is not to override it, but to honor it.
Cold-Drawn
Hot water releases harsh tannins that obscure the tea's finer qualities. We prepare our matcha cold to draw out the amino acids, raise L-theanine, and keep bitterness in check. The result is smoother, brighter, and more refreshing.
Natural Sweetness
Nature already provides the sweetness we need. We build on matcha's natural L-theanine with fruit, honey, and maple syrup, ingredients that complement the leaf rather than compete with it.
Precision-Milled
We mill our matcha to an exceptionally fine micron size, so it suspends evenly in cold water and dissolves clean. That fineness is the velvety mouthfeel that makes cold matcha a pleasure.
Modern Froth
We use a modern frothing approach that creates a more stable suspension, for a drink that is smooth and balanced every time.
Our first self-serve matcha bar
Matcha on tap.
Now open to beta customers in the lobby of our Pioneer Square HQ. Fresh, made-to-order matcha on demand, with the Cascadia Matcha Standard in every cup. It solves the hardest problem in matcha: fresh and consistent, anywhere, every time.
Our team of engineers built it from scratch over two years. Inside is a complete beverage system: ten taps of ice-cold matcha, an ice dispenser, and a printer that applies a custom label to each order. A robot arm carries your cup through every step as it is made to order. You can order right at the machine or on the Vale app ahead of time.
Careers
Join us.
We're building something that has never been built before, and we're hiring the people who will bring it to life. Right now, we're welcoming over 50 Matcharistas and Matcha Ambassadors who love matcha as much as we do, serving across our cafes and carts throughout Seattle.
But we're building more than a team of baristas. We're assembling roboticists, software and mechanical engineers, food scientists, designers, and community builders. Different skills, one thing in common: a love of matcha. Whether you pull the perfect shot or write the code that helps us scale it, there is a place for you here.
