Japanese milk bread becomes a viral sensation in the UK

In the United Kingdom, the popularity of Japanese milk bread, known as shokupan, has surged recently, driven largely by social media platforms like TikTok. This trend reflects a broader growing interest in East Asian cuisine, which has seen various dishes, including fresh fruit sandwiches and soufflé pancakes, gaining traction among food enthusiasts. Supermarkets, such as Waitrose, have reported significant increases in sales of Japanese food products, with a notable 41% rise in sales of Miso Tasty ramen paste and a 22% increase in Miso Tasty soup paste compared to the previous year.

The rise of milk bread is particularly remarkable, with searches for “Japanese milk buns” on Waitrose’s website skyrocketing by 617% in just one month, and sales increasing by 27% during the same period. Emilie Wolfman, a world foods product developer at Waitrose, highlighted this trend as one of the most exciting food movements transitioning from social media into everyday cooking. The appeal of milk buns is attributed to their versatility and the influence of London’s popular burger restaurants and East Asian bakeries.

Restaurants like Black Bear Burger have gained a loyal following by serving their dishes in soft milk buns, while Bun House in London’s Chinatown offers a variety of Cantonese-style baked milk buns with both savory and sweet fillings. The ease of making milk buns, along with their lighter texture compared to traditional brioche, makes them an attractive option for chefs looking to balance their menus.

Michael Booth, an author and food enthusiast, noted that Japanese cuisine's emphasis on presentation and aesthetics aligns perfectly with social media trends. He expressed his long-standing admiration for Japanese baked goods, particularly milk buns, which he first encountered during his visit to Japan in the 1990s. Tim Anderson, a MasterChef winner, pointed out the diverse range of milk breads available in Japan, which vary in sweetness and richness, further contributing to their growing popularity in the UK.