Matcha has become one of India's most searched food and beverage trends in 2026, but the bright green Japanese tea is no longer the only unfamiliar flavour attracting attention. Ube, a sweet purple yam, and Hōjicha, a roasted Japanese green tea, have also seen strong search interest this year.
The trends suggest that Indian consumers are moving beyond simply trying viral foods and are increasingly curious about how these flavours taste, how to prepare them and how they compare with familiar options.
Matcha becomes more than a cafe trend
Search data cited by News18 shows just how quickly matcha has entered everyday food culture in India. Searches for “how to make matcha" rose 1300% over the past year, while “matcha whisk" and “matcha bowl" became breakout search terms in August 2026.
People have also been experimenting with combinations. Searches for “mango matcha" rose 200% during summer, while “strawberry matcha" jumped 400 per cent. During the monsoon, “dirty matcha" and “coconut matcha" emerged as breakout searches.
Health and nutrition have become another part of the conversation. “Matcha health" searches increased 1000 per cent, while “matcha protein" surged 2500 per cent. Searches for “does matcha have caffeine" rose 70 per cent, and “matcha vs coffee" reached breakout status.
Matcha's influence has also moved outside food and drinks. “Matcha shoes" and “matcha enzyme scrub" became breakout searches, while August saw increased interest in “matcha candle," “matcha face wash," and “matcha perfume".
Ube takes the spotlight
Ube, the purple yam popular in desserts and drinks, recorded its highest-ever search interest in India in August 2026.
The searches show that consumers are already pairing it with other trending flavours. “ube matcha" and “ube coconut" were breakout searches, while “ube latte" and “ube cafe" also gained traction.
Hōjicha emerges as the alternative
Hōjicha has followed a similar path. Search interest reached an all-time high in March, followed by another surge in August for “what is hojicha" and “hojicha latte".
Interest in “hojicha vs matcha" also broke out, indicating that people are beginning to compare the two Japanese teas rather than treating them as separate trends.
Telangana recorded the highest Ube search interest, while Delhi led Hōjicha searches. For “matcha near me", Delhi, Goa and Chandigarh topped the list.