What ube's big moment means for its supply chain

Recently, a sweet, bright purple yam from the Philippines has become very popular in the U.S.

It’s called ube, and according to research firm Datassential, it appeared on three times as many U.S. restaurant menus in 2025 as it did in 2021. Grocery stores and cafes alike are chock full of ube ice cream, lattes, cocktails, and pastries.

There are two primary reasons for ube’s booming popularity, noted Bloomberg’s Ilena Peng, who wrote about ube and how the supply chain is adapting:

“The color ube is like a bright purple root, and so that color tends to lend really well to social media,” she said. “And then the other factor, I think, that has been driving it is just a broader interest in Asian foods and in Southeast Asian flavors.”

Peng joined “Marketplace” host Kimberly Adams to talk more about her reporting.

To hear their conversation, click the audio player above.