Sweet, soft and strong: TikTok turns Japanese milk bread into latest UK food craze
Japanese milk bread and related East Asian baked goods are gaining significant popularity in the UK, driven by viral trends on TikTok. Major supermarkets are reporting increased sales of Japanese-inspired food products as the trend moves from social media to mainstream retail.
Why it matters
This highlights the power of social media platforms like TikTok in shaping consumer food trends and influencing retail inventory in global markets.
Milk buns appeal to chefs partly because they are quick and easy to make. Milk buns appeal to chefs partly because they are quick and easy to make. Food Sweet, soft and playful: TikTok turns Japanese milk bread into UK’s latest food craze Shokupan, fresh fruit sandwiches and soufflé pancakes are part of a growing interest in east Asian cuisine
Prefer the Guardian on Google Golden brown and glistening with melted butter, a tray of freshly baked bread fills the screen in a TikTok video. The camera lingers on the glossy tops before one bun is gently pulled apart, revealing a cloud-soft interior.
The clip is one of countless videos of Japanese milk buns that have racked up millions of views and thousands of comments and shares, helping to propel the pillowy rolls into UK supermarkets.
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