'85°C Bakery Café' is a Taiwanese bakery that serves squid ink pastries covered in a layer of garlic butter. Although the idea of using squid ink as a form of food colouring is not new, many North American consumers were unfamiliar with the practice until the release of Burger King's black Halloween Whopper. This bakery offers a different take on squid ink by using it to make savory garlic buns.
85°C Bakery Café is a Taiwanese bakery franchise located throughout the US, Australia and Asia. On an average day, the bakery produces anywhere between 2,000 to 3,500 pieces of bread. One of the bakery's most popular items are its Japanese calamari sticks. These unusual black pastries are died with squid ink and then coated in a layer of garlic butter.
The unusual black pastries reveal one of the countless uses for squid ink in consumer food products.
Savory Squid Ink Buns
These Unusual Black Pastries are Covered in a Layer of Garlic Butter
Trend Themes
1. Squid Ink Food Products - Explore the versatile use of squid ink in food products beyond colouring, as seen in 85°C Bakery Cafe's savory garlic buns.
2. Unconventional Food Coloring - Consumers are receptive to unconventional food coloring as seen by the popularity of 85°C Bakery Cafe's Japanese calamari sticks and Burger King's black Halloween Whopper.
3. Global Bakeries with Unique Offerings - Bakeries like 85°C Bakery Cafe, which offers unique menu items inspired by cultures from around the world, have the opportunity to expand and offer their products internationally.
Industry Implications
1. Bakery - Bakeries have the opportunity to innovate and create unique menu items like 85°C Bakery Cafe's savory squid ink buns that appeal to a diverse range of consumers.
2. Fast Food - Fast food chains, like Burger King, have a market for unconventional food coloring and can use it to create buzz around limited-time menu items.
3. Food Manufacturing - Food manufacturers can experiment with alternative food coloring options, such as squid ink, to create new products and stand out in a crowded market.