We are thrilled to announce the launch of some exciting new features on our website that will enhance your shopping experience and make managing your orders even easier. Our team has been hard at work to bring you these enhancements, and we're excited to introduce them to you today.
Thank you for visiting the rice factory New York. Due to rising logistics costs, the official online store of the rice factory New York has decided to raise the Minimum amount for free shipping on purchases, effective February 1, 2024.
The recent heatwave in Japan, one for the record books, has had a distinct impact on our rice quality. Right now, we're methodically testing samples from each of the 2023 crop regions, taking the time to taste each one individually.
Notably, this year's crop appears whiter than in previous years, a result of the intense heat during maturation stunting starch production. This has led to more air content in the grains which, in turn, causes light to scatter, giving the rice its whiter appearance.
One of the many advantages of partnering with local food businesses is the opportunity to take part in exciting hands-on events. Most recently, Aozora Gakuen, a local preschool that uses the rice factory NEW YORK’s rice for their school lunches, invited us to participate in one of their educational programs during their Mid-Winter Break Camp. This year, the Brooklyn-based preschool’s educational focus was on teaching their toddlers how to cook delicious Japanese food. To contribute, we sent some of our trusty rice sommeliers to show the kids at Aozora the incredible journey Japanese rice takes before ever making it to their plates.
One of the most wonderful parts of living in New York is that you can find a home for yourself, no matter what culture you’re from. For Japanese families with toddlers, Aozora Preschool is the perfect place to build your child’s English skills while keeping them connected to their Japanese culture—especially through food!
We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude for your continued patronage of the rice factory. Due to the steep rise in distribution costs and ocean freight rates in Japan, we are finding it difficult to maintain our retail prices.
Thank you for visiting our online store. We renewed the online store in the first half of April. We will continue to improve the service and usability, so we look forward to your continued support.
