A Sweet Story That Started in Ozamiz
OZAMIZ CITY - Purple Yam is not simply a dessert name associated with a purple-colored trend; its story is tied to Ozamiz City. A Philippine Star feature published in April described the brand as a Mindanao homegrown dessert favorite and noted that its first physical store was in Ozamiz City. That local beginning gives the brand a useful connection to the city’s food and business identity, especially as its products have reached customers beyond Northern Mindanao. The connection was highlighted again in October when Purple Yam returned to Ozamiz for a major brand celebration, with the city described as the place where the brand’s story began.
Ube Is Having Its Bigger-Than-Dessert Moment
The timing is particularly interesting because ube itself has become a major Philippine food story in 2026. In September, the Department of Agriculture announced an indefinite suspension on exports of fresh purple yam and planting materials, citing the need to protect planting stocks while domestic production expands. Reports from BusinessMirror and GMA News also pointed to growing demand for Philippine ube in international markets, including demand for processed products such as powder, halaya, jam and paste. For an Ozamiz-born dessert business whose identity is closely associated with ube, that wider attention puts a familiar local flavor into a much bigger food conversation.
When a Local Flavor Travels Farther
What makes Purple Yam interesting for Ozamiz is not simply the number of places where its desserts can be found, but the fact that a business that began in the city has continued building its identity around a distinctly Filipino ingredient. In October, the brand introduced a Pistachio Collection during its Ozamiz celebration, including an Ube Pistachio Messy Cup and other desserts, showing how the familiar ube flavor can be paired with newer combinations. Meanwhile, the national conversation around ube is moving toward stronger production, standards and supply, with BusinessMirror reporting in September that the government planned work toward a Philippine national standard for fresh purple yam. Together, those developments make Purple Yam an interesting local-business story: an Ozamiz-born dessert brand growing at a time when the ingredient at the heart of its identity is receiving attention far beyond the Philippines.
