Kula Jay's Ube Kafe held a soft opening on Nov. 15, bringing its pop-up business to life in an existing food business known as Gerly's Ice Cream, which was temporarily closed for the season and whose owner allowed Kula Jay's to use the space through spring 2026. According to photos and videos online, the business had already garnered lines out the door for its menu of lattes and sweet treats utilizing the ingredient ube, a purple yam native to the Philippines.
"We're seeing menu development timelines compressed from years to months... If a flavor or ingredient gets 10 million views on TikTok on Monday, we're getting calls from restaurant clients asking how to incorporate it by Wednesday."
