Move over matcha: how ube cocktails and coffees are hitting the UK’s sweet spot

Starbucks, which launched ube drinks in its UK stores last month, said the range celebrated its ‘growing cultural presence’. Photograph: Ube Nolia

Bright purple coffees and cocktails made with a root vegetable called ube have hit the high street in the UK after the yam’s striking hue caused a sensation on social media. Many are calling ube the “new matcha”, and it has a nutty, creamy, sweet taste, like a mix between coconut and vanilla.

Ube coloured and flavoured drinks became popular in the US last year, after an earlier boom in Australia. Farmers in the Philippines, where the root vegetable is often sourced, have been struggling to meet demand.