• Ube, a purple yam native to the Philippines, is thought for its eye-catching color and candy, nutty, vanilla-like flavour.
• Its versatility and aesthetic attraction are driving international demand, with curiosity in ube-flavoured meals and drinks, together with espresso, hovering.
• Given its recognition, ube has the potential to observe a trajectory just like that of matcha, providing a profitable alternative for espresso outlets.
• However café operators must be conscious about utilizing genuine substances and respecting Filipino tradition, quite than lowering ube to a gross sales gimmick.

Though ube has been a staple ingredient in Filipino delicacies for generations, the purple root vegetable has lately proliferated throughout social media and café menus worldwide. 

Ube was named the 2024 Flavour of the Yr by main flavour and perfume producer, T.Hasegawa, and brilliant purple drinks are actually making even an even bigger splash. 

Datassential predicted that ube would outperform 88% of all different meals, drinks, and substances from 2024 by 2027, and that its presence would develop 48% on US menus alone. 

As anticipated, ube has established itself as a buyer favorite. In response to Monin’s 2024 analysis, 67% of customers stated they have been prone to buy an ube-flavoured beverage or dessert. 

To study why ube is trending, and whether or not it’ll turn out to be a espresso store menu staple, I spoke with Andre Chanco of Yardstick Espresso and Britt Berg at BIGFACE BRAND.

You may additionally like our article on whether or not matcha is dropping its cultural identification.

First matcha – is ube subsequent?

Within the specialty espresso trade, beverage customisation has by no means been so in style. Predominantly, Gen Z is driving the pattern. They need greater than “only a drink”; they’re searching for a full sensory expertise of indulgent, impressed textures, flavours, and visuals. Plus, they need to steer the ship with their very own artistic expression. 

This pattern has given rise to vibrant, candy drinks that characteristic playful designs and substances comparable to chilly foam and matcha. 

Matcha’s ubiquity throughout menus, even past espresso outlets, was primarily pushed by its visible attraction; its brilliant inexperienced color is related to wellness, sustainability, and luxurious, making for eye-catching social media posts.  

This has positioned aesthetics, viral developments, and algorithms as the principle drivers of shopper buying choices. Bringing the world to our fingertips, social media rapidly constructed demand for distinctive international substances. 

On the identical time, younger customers are searching for “flavour escapism” with whimsical tastes and branding. Altogether, demand has soared for daring fusions of newfangled, genuine international flavours. Matcha emerged as the right vessel for this experimentation, and ube is following swimsuit. 

The matcha increase is driving curiosity in different non-coffee drinks with related aesthetic attraction. The intense purple ube latte may be on monitor to dethrone matcha. 

Why ube has turn out to be so in style

Ube is a purple yam – a starchy root vegetable native to the Philippines (to not be confused with purple candy potato or taro) – whose title means “tuber” in Tagalog. It’s a staple ingredient in Filipino cooking due to its naturally candy, barely earthy, nutty, and vanilla-like flavour, making it well-suited to crowd-pleasing espresso store drinks.  

With none added colors or flavours, ube appears and tastes nice in iced and sizzling drinks. It’s arguably palatable to extra clients than matcha and pairs properly with a wide range of add-ons, comparable to syrups and chilly foam. 

“If you put ube into drinks, it makes this actually lovely hue that folks clearly like to share and take pictures of, so it’s a mixture of each utility and aesthetic,” says Britt, the COO of BIGFACE BRAND, a specialty espresso firm based by NBA star Jimmy Butler.

“Individuals are additionally searching for espresso options which might be each nutritious and wealthy in flavour,” Britt says. 

Ube checks each bins: it’s a pure supply of potassium, vitamin C, antioxidants together with anthocyanins (which not solely give ube its vibrant hue, however could assist scale back blood stress, blood sugar, and irritation), and prebiotic fibre. Components that promote intestine and pores and skin well being are particularly in style amongst youthful generations searching for beauty-enhancing meals.

Southeast Asian meals and drinks are additionally trending in international café tradition. One issue is that youthful customers in historically tea-drinking cultures throughout Asia are ingesting extra espresso. 

“Ube’s recognition indicators that buyers are prepared for extra Southeast Asian flavours. This creates room for cafés to innovate whereas differentiating their menu,” says Andre, the co-founder of Filipino specialty espresso roaster Yardstick Espresso. “In case you take a look at locations like Bangkok or Shanghai, we’re additionally seeing a whole lot of localisation of flavours being included of their espresso menus.”  

Western espresso tradition is taking inspiration from in style substances in Asian nations. From black sesame to miso to persimmon, North American and European espresso outlets have embraced these meals and flavours as staples quite than area of interest diets or developments. 

“Ube stands out visually and feels contemporary to these markets,” Andre says. “For café operators, it’s additionally a sensible approach so as to add selection with out straying too removed from acquainted flavour profiles. Its earthy notes match with some espresso origins.” 

Espresso outlets are embracing ube, however will it final?

Ube’s lengthy monitor report in Asian meals and beverage cultures exhibits that it’s a worthwhile funding for espresso outlets. For sure, many specialty espresso outlets are making ube a extra everlasting fixture on their menus. 

“It has turn out to be a dependable seasonal or limited-time merchandise that drives visitors, a rise in common checks, and social engagement,” Andre says. 

Ube first grew to become Instagram-famous round 2016; one of many first viral developments was Manila Social Membership’s ube doughnuts in New York Metropolis. Ube then made its technique to cafés within the US by 2020, and in Australia and Europe extra lately. Espresso chain Pret A Manger additionally launched an Ube Brûlée iced latte within the US and Europe in Might 2025.

In summer season 2024, BIGFACE BRAND moved to face out within the saturated ready-to-drink (RTD) espresso market and launched a canned ube vanilla latte. In comparison with the model’s different authentic oat and coconut cinnamon RTD lattes, Britt says the ube vanilla is the preferred flavour.

Ube’s nice advertising energy heeds respect to its roots. Café operators must be conscious about utilizing genuine substances and respecting Filipino tradition, quite than lowering ube to a gross sales gimmick. 

“It’s not only a color or pattern; it’s an ingredient with heritage that helps Filipino farmers,” Andre explains. “That story is a part of its worth proposition. Personally, for me, it’s a snack I grew up having fun with after I was a child.”

Ube is a heritage that has continued within the Philippines by generations, with a sustainable circulate of demand and manufacturing. 

“The problem is sourcing consistency and avoiding product fatigue if everybody jumps on it. Just like what’s occurring to matcha in the mean time,” Andre says, referring to the matcha scarcity brought on by unsustainable demand stress on Japanese producers. 

The truth is, excessive demand contributed to ube shortages for some suppliers again in 2020. 

The specialty espresso trade – which prides itself on accountable provide chains – can uphold its values whereas sourcing and serving ube. Because it turns into cemented on espresso store menus, ube creates countless alternatives to have fun Filipino tradition. 

“There’s nonetheless alternative inside the marketplace for folks to study ube,” Britt concludes. “I don’t assume it’s going wherever anytime quickly – identical to matcha or turmeric or any of these have turn out to be staples on menus.”

Loved this? Then learn our article on whether or not matcha has turn out to be the brand new espresso.

Photograph credit: Yardstick Espresso, BIGFACE BRAND

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