health
Move over matcha: how ube cocktails and coffees are hitting the UK’s sweet spot
Brightly coloured yam, long enjoyed in east Asia, has been appearing in drinks, desserts – and, of course, TikTok feeds
TL;DR
- Ube, a root vegetable with a striking purple color, is gaining popularity in the UK, featured in coffees and cocktails.
- Its flavor is described as nutty, creamy, and sweet, likened to a mix of coconut and vanilla.
- Ube drinks first gained popularity in the US and Australia before crossing over to the UK, with major chains like Starbucks and Costa introducing ube beverages.
- The ingredient is native to the Philippines, where farmers are struggling to meet increased demand.
- Ube has a long history in East Asian cuisine, used in desserts and increasingly in cocktails.
- Its vibrant color makes it highly photogenic and suitable for social media platforms like TikTok, driving consumer interest and purchases.
- Market analysts suggest ube is perceived as an 'approachable yet exciting' innovation due to its mild sweetness and comforting flavor profile.
- The trend has been compared to the earlier popularity of matcha, with ube becoming a craze driven by social media visibility.