Philz Coffee is stepping outside its coffee-only identity with the launch of four handcrafted matcha beverages now available across all 80-plus locations in California and Chicago. The move marks the brand's first formal entry into the fast-growing matcha segment, a category that has gained significant traction in specialty beverage retail and independent cafés alike.
The drinks are served iced in 16oz portions and built on matcha sourced from Uji, Japan, one of the most recognized matcha-producing regions globally. Each recipe layers the matcha with sweetened oat milk as the default base — with 2% dairy available at no upcharge — and customers can adjust sweetness to preference. The four SKUs and their retail price points are: Iced Matcha ($6.50), Strawberry Matcha ($7.50), Strawberry Mint Matcha ($7.50), and Salted Caramel Matcha ($7.50). The Strawberry Mint Matcha incorporates Philz's signature fresh mint, a nod to the brand's well-known Mint Mojito Coffee.
Behind the Launch
Andy Mai, Chief Business Officer at Philz Coffee, framed the matcha addition as a direct response to sustained customer demand. "Our top two requests from customers over the years have been a rewards program and matcha," Mai said. "With the successful launch of our Philz Rewards program last year, we turned our efforts to matcha. We wanted to introduce it in a way that feels unmistakably Philz." The brand's emphasis on barista involvement — every drink is reviewed by staff before handoff — carries over to the matcha lineup, preserving the made-to-order positioning that differentiates Philz from higher-volume chains.
For multi-unit operators watching beverage menu diversification trends, the Philz launch illustrates how coffee-forward brands are using matcha as a bridge to capture non-coffee drinkers without overhauling their service model. Premium matcha drinks have emerged as a reliable afternoon daypart driver, particularly among younger consumers, and the $7.50 price point for flavored variants sits comfortably within the specialty beverage range that independent and regional café operators have been testing.
Operator Implications
The rollout is available both in-store and through the Philz app, which also hosts the Philz Rewards loyalty program. Integrating matcha into an existing digital ordering and loyalty infrastructure reduces friction for trial and gives Philz a direct mechanism to track attach rates alongside its core coffee business. That data loop matters: brands that can quantify how matcha orders interact with loyalty redemption behavior are better positioned to refine LTO strategy and staffing around new daypart demand.
For the restaurant and café industry broadly, the Philz matcha launch is a case study in category extension that preserves brand equity — sourcing credentials, barista craft, and customization — rather than chasing trend volume with a stripped-down execution. Founded in San Francisco in 2003, Philz has long positioned handcrafted quality as its primary differentiator, and the Uji-sourced matcha is consistent with that supply-chain story.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
