Philippines' ube emerges as Asia's new favorite as matcha declines

Ube, a purple yam from the Philippines, is becoming the next big food trend, following matcha, with its popularity soaring in lattes, ice cream, and baked goods since 2026.

Transparency Market Research expects ube to grow at 6.9% annually from 2025 to 2035, with interest spiking in early 2026, according to Google Trends.

Regina Maiseviciute Haydon of Mintel highlighted ube’s antioxidants and vitamins, noting its clean-label status makes it feel more authentic to consumers.