Global coffee chains, including Starbucks and Costa Coffee, have rolled out ube ranges, tapping into trending flavours and social media buzz. Ube, a Southeast Asian root vegetable also known as a purple yam, has recently drawn global attention for its vivid purple colour and distinctive taste. The ingredient has gone viral online on social media, accelerating its rise as the “next matcha”. This is substantiated by a Q1 2026 survey¹, in which over 60 % of Gen Z and millennials stated that they use social media to discover products in new flavours, and over half say that when they find a new flavour they like, they enjoy sharing it on social media, says GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform.

Brands are responding by building shareability into product launches. Starbucks, for example, introduced its Ube Vanilla Velvet Latte, Ube Vanilla Velvet Matcha, and Ube Vanilla Macchiato – promoted with multiple TikTok posts (via Starbucks and Starbucks UK) featuring pour shots and seasonal lines such as “spring is purple this year” and “ube vanilla, a new way to sip this spring.” This social-first playbook helps Starbucks reach younger consumers where they discover, evaluate, and recommend new drinks.

Jessica Butler, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Ube’s bold hue is instantly recognisable in feeds, and its highly “Instagrammable” look lends itself to sharing, especially in trendy café settings. It is an “Instagrammable” ingredient in every sense – high-impact visuals, easy to recognise, and made to be shared. That matters because social platforms are now a primary route to discovery for younger consumers. Brands should treat a launch as a content strategy as much as a product release – building in scroll-stopping visuals, creator partnerships, and easy-to-share moments that turn trial into amplification.”

Curiosity is powering trial

Ube also taps into younger consumers’ appetite for novelty. Many Western consumers haven’t tried it before, which makes it feel new – and worth a test. In Q1 2026 survey, 64 % of Gen Z and 65 % of millennials said curiosity motivates them to try new flavours. With trends moving fast – iced coffee, then matcha, now ube – brands can win by innovating at pace. Costa Coffee is doing this by adding ube to familiar formats on its UK spring menu, including a Sweet Ube Hot Chocolate and Sweet Ube Frappe, making the trend feel approachable.

Wellness cues add extra pull

Ube’s “better-for-you” halo is another tailwind. It contains vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and has been linked to benefits such as supporting blood pressure and blood sugar. As health-led decision-making rises, this matters: 68 % of Gen Z and 70 % of millennials say health and wellbeing always or often influence their choices. That gives brands permission to position ube as natural and plant-based – while keeping claims credible and compliant.

Innovative at-home formats a powerful opportunity for brands

Ube is beginning to transfer into retail. UK superfood-infused beverage brand Revibed recently launched ube powders in Holland & Barrett, positioned for smoothies, lattes, and baking, and marketed as a “simple, versatile single ingredient format.” That points to a wider opportunity for powders, syrups, concentrates, and RTDs.

Butler concludes: “The next step is turning ube from a viral café moment into an everyday staple. Brands should build social-first launches, introduce ube in ‘safe’, familiar formats, and expand into at-home and functional options – while getting sourcing and authenticity right.”

¹GlobalData 2026 Q1 global consumer survey was conducted with 21,000 respondents across 42 countries

Following the publication of a study carried out by Cochrane – a British medical research charity – to provide evidence for the World Health Organization in readiment for its own report into low- and no-calorie sweeteners, a number of media outlets have picked up the story.

The review did not find solid evidence of any major safety issues.

Gavin Partington, Director General at British Soft Drinks Association, said:

“Low- and no-calorie sweeteners allow consumers to enjoy sweetness while managing sugars and calories in their everyday lives. Because they taste good and are low- or calorie-free, people are more likely to combine them with a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle and stick to their dietary goals for weight management.

“In March 2017, the UK Government and Public Health England publicly endorsed the use of low-calorie sweeteners as a safe alternative to reduce sugar in food and drink and help people manage their weight.

“The increased use of low-calorie sweeteners in soft drinks has led to a significant reduction in sugar and calorie intake (from soft drinks). Kantar Worldpanel data shows overall sugar intake from soft drinks is down by 22.9% since 2014.”