Due to high demand, Ramar Foods announces a shortage on its ube (purple yam) supply. Purple Yam has been the popular comfort food for the diaspora and has been enjoyed in several ice cream flavors under Ramar's Magnolia brand. The all-natural ube supply is experiencing a shortage. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and surges in grocery, the supplies are going to be limited.

"Ube is a winter crop and it was not abundant during the summer season," explains Jojo Bronoza, a Representative from Ramar Foods. "Due to the COVID-19 pandemic happening early in the year and the lockdown in Manila, our forecast for the summer needs could not be met. People's fear of contracting COVID-19 put a damper on production due to limited labor."

As the company is adjusting to its challenges in the ube supply, Ramar Foods will continue to evenly distribute the product to Asian stores within the United States to make sure that they can fulfill the needs of their customers, especially during this time of the pandemic.

Ramar Foods continues to be the only Filipino Food manufacturer in the United States that brings all-natural ube in its products. The all-natural ube is imported straight from the Philippines and is not available anywhere else. The challenges in supply come from the high demand in the Asian American market, logistics, and supply issues caused by COVID-19.

Ramar Foods is working hard to make sure it can safely go back to the normal supply of all-natural ube once the company figures out a way to do it safely in this environment. Ramar Foods will be keeping its communities updated regarding the ube shortage.

About Ramar Foods

Founded in 1969, Ramar's goal is to bring the flavors of the Philippines to your household. Ramar Foods is committed to manufacturing your favorite frozen Filipino food products. Ramar's success for 50 years of experience in the industry is attributed to its people, its deep relationship with the Filipino diaspora, and a commitment to understanding what brings satisfaction to Filipino families. 

During our first years, we started with a vision of being the premier Filipino food company that will bring nostalgia to Filipino households and at the same time, give a snapshot of the Filipino experience to non-Filipinos all over the world. Today, we have grown to be America's #1 Filipino Food company serving communities across North America and beyond.

Continuously being family owned and operated, we commit to nourishing our community through our legacy of family food products.

Click here for more COVID-19 coverage and how it is affecting the refrigerated and frozen foods industry.