Beni Haruka's New York Journey: A Yaki-Imo Pop-Up Tour Across Four Local Favorites
Through February and March, RESOBOX organized a series of yaki-imo (roasted sweet potato) pop-up collaborations across New York to introduce Beni Haruka, a prized sweet potato variety from Kagoshima Prefecture. The tour visited four beloved local spots: Nippon Cha, Matcha House, Isshiki Matcha, and Round Table Brewery.
One Hundred Potatoes at a Time
At each stop, freshly roasted Beni Haruka sold out — 100 servings at Matcha House in just 90 minutes, with lines out the door, and another 100 at Isshiki Matcha despite a storm. Beni Haruka pairs beautifully with today's less-sweet New York matcha: its natural sugars come with vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and dietary fiber, adding a smooth, satisfying texture that never feels heavy.
From Matcha to Craft Beer
The final stop, Round Table Brewery in Williamsburg, showed a different side of the sweet potato: its mellow sweetness balanced strikingly well with the tart, citrusy notes and lively carbonation of the brewery's rustic ale Alto Lindo. Building on the tour's response, we are now exploring collaborative product development with partner stores for next season.
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