Is Ube the New Matcha? The Difference Between Ube and Matcha
Matcha has been everywhere over the past few years. Matcha latte, iced matcha, matcha cookies, matcha tiramisu, and matcha soft serve appeared on the menus of cafés, bakeries, and dessert bars. Green became the color of modern foodservice.
But now, a new color is appearing more and more often on menus: purple.
That purple color often comes from ube. Ube is a purple yam best known from Filipino cuisine and is now being used more and more around the world in lattes, milk tea, desserts, ice cream, and patisserie. In food media, ube is increasingly being described as a possible successor to matcha. Not because ube is the same as matcha, but because it has the same combination of color, recognizability, Asian food culture, and broad application.
Still, ube and matcha are completely different. Matcha is green tea. Ube is a purple yam. Matcha is earthy, bitter, and contains caffeine. Ube is creamy, mildly sweet, and dessert-like. That is exactly why the comparison is interesting.
In this blog, we explain the difference between ube and matcha, why ube is becoming more popular, and whether ube can really become the new matcha.
What Is Ube?
Ube is a purple yam that is widely used in Filipino cuisine. The yam has a natural purple to violet-like color and is mainly used in sweet dishes, drinks, and desserts.
The taste of ube is soft, creamy, mildly sweet, and slightly nutty. Some people also recognize notes of vanilla, coconut, or white chocolate. That makes ube work well with milk, cream, coconut, ice cream, pastries, and desserts.
Ube is often used in:
Ube latte
Ube milk tea
Ube cheesecake
Ube ice cream
Ube pancakes
Ube milkshake
Ube cold foam
Ube desserts
Want to understand the basics first? Read our blog what is ube.
What Is Matcha?
Matcha is finely ground green tea from Japan. Instead of steeping tea leaves in water, with matcha you drink the entire leaf in powdered form. This gives matcha a strong, recognizable flavor and means it contains caffeine.
The taste of matcha is green, earthy, sometimes slightly bitter, and umami-like. Good matcha can be soft and creamy, but cheap or badly prepared matcha can quickly become bitter.
Matcha is often used in:
Matcha latte
Iced matcha latte
Matcha desserts
Matcha cookies
Matcha tiramisu
Matcha soft serve
Matcha cakes
Matcha became popular mainly because of its combination of color, caffeine, health image, and social media appeal. For many cafés, matcha became a logical alternative next to coffee.
Ube vs Matcha: The Biggest Difference
The biggest difference between ube and matcha is simple: matcha is tea, ube is a yam.
Matcha belongs to tea and functional drinks. It contains caffeine and is often consumed as an alternative to coffee. Ube belongs more to dessert ingredients. It adds color, creaminess, and a soft sweet flavor to drinks and desserts.
In terms of taste, they are also very different. Matcha is earthy, green, and sometimes bitter. Ube is soft, creamy, and mildly sweet. That is exactly why they can work so well together.
An ube latte often feels more like a dessert drink. A matcha latte feels more like an energizing tea drink. An ube matcha latte combines both worlds: green, purple, creamy, and slightly earthy.
Is Ube the New Matcha?
Ube can definitely reach a similar trend position as matcha, but in a different way.
Matcha became popular because it was recognizable, photogenic, and broadly applicable. Ube has those qualities too. The purple color stands out immediately, the taste is approachable, and you can use it in drinks, desserts, ice cream, pastries, and patisserie.
Internationally, ube is appearing more often in cafés and coffee chains. In the United Kingdom, major chains such as Starbucks and Costa have introduced ube drinks, and food media are increasingly describing ube as a possible successor to matcha.
Still, ube will probably not fully replace matcha. The products are too different for that. Matcha remains strong as a caffeinated drink. Ube is stronger as a creamy, visual, dessert-like ingredient.
So the better question is not whether ube will replace matcha, but whether ube can earn a permanent place next to matcha on modern menus. And that seems much more likely.
Why Ube Works So Well After Matcha
Ube arrives at a logical moment. Many consumers now know matcha. They have become used to colored lattes, Asian flavors, and iced drinks that look a little more special than regular coffee.
That makes the step toward ube smaller. Customers no longer need to be convinced that a latte can be green, purple, or layered. They already know matcha. Ube therefore feels like the next discovery.
For cafés, that is interesting. You do not need to explain a completely new drink concept. You can add ube to formats that customers already understand:
Ube latte
Iced ube latte
Ube matcha latte
Ube cold foam
Ube milk tea
Ube frappe
Ube milkshake
Also read our blog about ube drinks for cafés for more menu inspiration.
Difference in Taste: Ube and Matcha
Ube and matcha differ strongly in taste.
Matcha has a green, earthy, and sometimes bitter flavor. It can be fresh and elegant, but also intense. Not everyone likes matcha immediately. Some customers need to get used to the bitterness.
Ube is softer and more approachable. The flavor is creamy, mildly sweet, nutty, and subtly vanilla-like. That makes ube feel more quickly like a dessert or milk drink.
This makes ube interesting for customers who like the look of matcha but find the taste too bitter. An iced ube latte or ube milk tea is often more approachable than a pure iced matcha latte.
At the same time, the combination works especially well. Matcha gives depth and contrast. Ube gives softness and color. That is why ube matcha drinks are so strong for modern cafés.
Difference in Color and Presentation
Matcha is green. Ube is purple. Simple, but important.
Color plays a major role in modern foodservice. A drink should not only taste good, but also stand out on social media, in a display case, or on a café table.
Matcha worked for years because green became instantly recognizable. Ube has the same potential with purple. A purple latte, purple cold foam, or purple cheesecake immediately stands out among standard coffee, vanilla, chocolate, and matcha.
For cafés and restaurants, that is valuable. A striking product can make people stop, ask questions, and take photos.
Difference in Health Image
Matcha has a strong health image. It contains caffeine, L-theanine, and antioxidants, and is often seen as a more mindful alternative to coffee.
Ube has a different story. Ube does not contain caffeine and is not a tea drink. It is a purple yam with fiber, carbohydrates, and natural purple pigments.
That means the health story of ube is less about energy and focus, and more about natural color, plant-based origin, and a recognizable ingredient.
That does not mean ube is automatically healthy. An ube latte with a lot of sugar or an ube cheesecake is still a sweet product. But as an ingredient, ube has a more natural story than many artificial purple colorings or flavor mixes.
Want to go deeper into this? Read our blog is ube healthy.
Using Ube and Matcha Together
Maybe the strongest option is not ube or matcha, but ube and matcha.
The combination works well because the flavors complement each other. Matcha is earthy and slightly bitter. Ube is creamy and mildly sweet. Together, you get a drink with more balance than when you use only one of the two.
Popular combinations include:
Ube matcha latte
Iced ube matcha latte
Matcha latte with ube cold foam
Ube matcha cloud
Coconut ube matcha
Ube rain matcha latte
For cafés and matcha shops, this is especially interesting because you can upgrade existing matcha drinks. You do not immediately need to create a completely new category. You can start with one signature drink: an iced matcha latte with purple ube foam.
Also read our recipe for ube cold foam.
Ube for Cafés That Already Sell Matcha
If your café already sells matcha, ube is probably a logical next step. Your customers are already used to colored lattes and special iced drinks. That makes it easier to introduce ube.
A good first test could be:
Iced ube latte
Ube matcha latte
Matcha with ube cold foam
Coconut ube matcha
Ube milk tea
Start with one or two products. See which one sells best and how customers respond. If people are mainly curious about the color, a layered drink works well. If they mainly want a soft flavor, an iced ube latte works better.
For foodservice, it is useful to prepare an ube base, ube syrup, or ube paste in advance. That lets you work faster during service and keeps the quality more consistent.
Ube for Cafés That Do Not Sell Matcha
Even if you do not sell matcha, ube can still be interesting. In that case, you position ube not as a matcha combination, but as a striking new latte or dessert drink.
Good options include:
Ube latte
Iced ube latte
Ube coffee latte
Ube milkshake
Ube frappe
Ube cheesecake
Ube ice cream
For coffee shops, the ube coffee latte is especially interesting. In this drink, you combine ube with milk and espresso. The espresso adds recognizability, while the ube adds color and a softer flavor.
Also read our blog about how to make an ube latte.
Ube or Matcha: Which Fits Your Menu Better?
Which one fits better depends on your concept.
Matcha works well for cafés that focus on coffee alternatives, wellness, tea, breakfast, and premium iced drinks. It is especially strong when customers are looking for caffeine, energy, and a green, clean image.
Ube works well for cafés, dessert bars, ice cream shops, bubble tea shops, and bakeries that want to offer something striking, creamy, and dessert-like. It works especially well when both color and flavor matter.
For matcha shops, ube is interesting as an addition. For dessert concepts, ube can even be stronger than matcha because the flavor is softer and easier to combine with cream, ice cream, milk, and pastries.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ube and Matcha
Is ube the same as matcha?
No, ube and matcha are completely different. Matcha is green tea in powdered form. Ube is a purple yam.
Does ube contain caffeine?
No, ube naturally does not contain caffeine. An ube latte only contains caffeine if you add espresso, matcha, or tea.
Is ube as bitter as matcha?
No, ube is much softer and sweeter in flavor. Matcha can be earthy and bitter, while ube is creamy, mildly sweet, and nutty.
Can you combine ube and matcha?
Yes, ube and matcha combine very well. Matcha adds depth and bitterness, while ube adds creaminess and soft sweetness.
Is ube the new matcha?
Ube can reach a similar trend position as matcha, but it will probably not fully replace it. It is more of a new purple addition to modern cafés and dessert concepts.
Conclusion: Ube Does Not Replace Matcha, But Complements It Perfectly
Ube and matcha are often compared, but they are very different. Matcha is green tea with caffeine, an earthy flavor, and a strong health image. Ube is a purple yam with a creamy, mildly sweet, and dessert-like flavor.
Still, the comparison makes sense. Both ingredients have a striking color, Asian origin, social media appeal, and many applications in modern foodservice.
Ube does not need to replace matcha to become successful. It can grow next to matcha. For cafés, matcha shops, bubble tea shops, ice cream shops, and dessert bars, ube offers a new way to add color, flavor, and experience to the menu.
Want to make your own ube latte, ube matcha drinks, ube cold foam, or ube desserts? Use a good-quality ube powder as your base. With it, you can easily make ube drinks, desserts, milk tea, cold foam, and other purple creations.
View our ube powder and discover how you can use ube next to matcha on your menu.
In Short
Is ube the new matcha?
Ube can become a similar trend, but it is not a direct replacement. Ube is softer, more purple, and more dessert-like.
What is the difference between ube and matcha?
Matcha is green tea with caffeine. Ube is a purple yam without caffeine.
How does ube taste compared to matcha?
Matcha is earthy and sometimes bitter. Ube is creamy, mildly sweet, nutty, and vanilla-like.
Can you combine ube and matcha?
Yes, ube and matcha work very well together in iced lattes, cold foam, and layered drinks.
What do you use for ube drinks?
For ube lattes, ube matcha drinks, and desserts, you usually use ube powder, ube syrup, or ube paste.
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