PopUp Bagels and Oishii are teaming up once again on the premium Oishii Berry Schmear.
The Oishii Berry Schmear was originally created as part of a limited-time run in 2025, and sold out incredibly quickly. Now, the premium bagel topper is back for the 2026 summer season.
The Oishii Berry Schmear combines Oishii Nikko Berries – premium Japanese strawberries grown on vertical farms – with Popup Bagels’ signature hot, whole bagels. Oishii’s Japanese varietal berries have a consistent sweetness, aroma, and texture, which pairs perfectly with Popup Bagels' light and airy cream cheese. As Adam Goldberg, Founder of Popup Bagels, explains, "We don’t bring things back unless people are still talking about them. The Oishii Berry Schmear was one of those products. Guests loved it, our teams loved it, and the quality of the berries speaks for itself."
The Oishii Berry Schmear is available now from all Popup Bagels locations, but only while supplies last.
Image Credit: Popup Bagels
What's Driving This Trend
- Premium Schmear Collaborations
- Limited-run spreads featuring luxury ingredients create scarcity-driven demand while giving fast-casual brands a pathway into higher-margin menu experimentation.
- Vertical-farmed Fruit Pairings
- Controlled-environment berries with consistent flavor, aroma, and texture support more reliable premium food pairings across seasonal bakery and café menus.
- Cult-favorite Menu Revivals
- Returning sold-out items turn customer nostalgia and social buzz into repeat traffic, helping brands validate product-market fit before broader expansion.
Who This Affects Most
- Fast-casual Dining
- Premium ingredient partnerships are reshaping everyday menu categories by blending accessible formats with elevated, limited-availability offerings.
- Controlled-environment Agriculture
- Vertical farming gains new commercial relevance when specialty produce becomes a branded ingredient in high-visibility foodservice collaborations.
- Bakery and Spreads
- Artisanal bagels and flavored cream cheeses are evolving into innovation platforms for seasonal flavors, premium sourcing, and collaborative product launches.
