In Singapore, a bright green cake is more than just a dessert – it’s a daily ritual. Locals enjoy a slice of pandan chiffon cake on their way to work or grab an entire one for special occasions like birthdays. With its light, fluffy texture and a subtle grassy vanilla flavor, the cake has become a beloved staple in the city’s culinary landscape.

The cake’s signature color and taste come from pandan, a tropical plant believed to have originated in Indonesia’s Moluccas Islands. It’s been used in cooking for centuries and has found a special place in Singapore’s food culture, particularly in the pandan chiffon cake. First appearing in the 1970s, the cake has since spread across the island, from humble neighborhood bakeries to high-end restaurants.

At the heart of this pandan cake craze is one family-owned bakery: Bengawan Solo. Founded in 1979 by Anastasia Liew, the bakery began as a small neighborhood shop selling homemade cakes. It wasn’t long before it grew in popularity, and today, the brand has over 40 locations throughout Singapore.

“I made it popular in Singapore,” Anastasia Liew proudly states, while her son Henry, now a company director, humorously adds, “Sorry, we’re not very modest.”

While Bengawan Solo sells a variety of traditional Asian cakes and pastries, such as kueh lapis (layer cake), ondeh ondeh (glutinous rice balls filled with palm sugar), and pineapple tarts, it’s the pandan chiffon cake that has become their signature product.

The bakery’s growth isn’t just limited to Singapore. Over the years, Bengawan Solo has gained a significant following thanks to word of mouth and celebrity endorsements. In 2015, Mandopop star JJ Lin gifted Bengawan Solo cakes to fellow judges on a Chinese singing show. In 2022, Taiwanese music legend Jay Chou shared his love for the cakes on Instagram after being gifted them during his performance in Singapore.

As of last year, the bakery sold an impressive 85,000 pandan chiffon cakes, each priced at about 22 Singapore dollars ($17), bringing in around 76 million Singapore dollars ($57 million) in total sales, a jump of 11% from 2023. However, the family sees even greater potential for growth outside Singapore.

“I don’t think we can grow very much more in Singapore,” Henry admits. Instead, the focus is on introducing Bengawan Solo to other parts of Asia and the world, with an emphasis on food gifts, capitalizing on the region’s strong gift-giving culture. Henry also mentions that the company is exploring unique packaging to appeal to global markets.

Bengawan Solo’s presence has grown to include five locations at Singapore’s Changi Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world. These airport stores now account for more than half of the company’s total sales, and demand for the pandan chiffon cake has spread to places like Hong Kong, where it’s become a favorite gift among travelers.

But global expansion has its challenges. High rental costs in cities like Hong Kong have posed obstacles, and the family is committed to maintaining the quality of their products. They source most of their ingredients locally, including pandan leaves, which they get from just across the border in Malaysia.

Despite these hurdles, the appetite for pandan is growing worldwide. In Hong Kong, a bakery called Pandan Man is selling pandan cakes in upscale shopping malls, and pandan-infused treats like mochi egg tarts and cronuts are popping up in cities like New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

Keri Matwick, a senior lecturer at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, has researched food trends and language. She observes that Asian ingredients like matcha, coconut, and ube are gaining popularity in Western desserts. Matcha, in particular, has seen such widespread use that some sellers in Japan are warning of a potential shortage due to the ingredient’s overwhelming demand.

Now, pandan may be on the brink of its own global rise. “Matcha has already set that precedent of something green being okay,” Matwick notes. “I think pandan is starting to emerge as more of a star than it ever has before.”

As demand for pandan-flavored products grows, we may soon see this vibrant green cake become a global sensation, just as matcha did before it. For now, it’s clear that Bengawan Solo – and the Liew family behind it – is at the forefront of the pandan revolution, taking this beloved Singaporean treat to the world.

Source: CNN – Singapore’s pandan cake craze is going global. Meet the family that sparked a spongey revolution

The post How Singapore’s Pandan Cake Became a Global Sensation appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

Egg prices have skyrocketed, and with no relief in sight, consumers can expect to pay even more in the coming months, especially as Easter approaches and demand surges.

As of December, the average price for a dozen eggs reached $4.15 nationwide. While this is slightly lower than the record-high price of $4.82 set in 2022, experts predict that prices will rise another 20% this year. For some shoppers, the situation is even worse: prices are already more than double the national average, and many grocery stores are facing empty shelves. Organic and cage-free eggs are particularly expensive, and some stores have even implemented purchase limits.

A Staple Food Becoming a Luxury

Minneapolis resident Sage Mills shared her frustration: “It’s just robbery. Eggs used to be a staple food for us, but now you might as well just go out to eat.”

But what’s behind the surge in prices?

The Bird Flu Crisis

The ongoing bird flu outbreak that began in 2022 is the primary culprit behind the soaring egg prices. The flu spreads rapidly, and when detected on a poultry farm, the entire flock is slaughtered to prevent further contamination. With some massive egg farms housing over a million chickens, even a few cases of bird flu can lead to a severe supply shortage.

The process of dealing with outbreaks—disposing of infected birds, disinfecting barns, and bringing in new flocks—can take months. Since the outbreak began, over 145 million chickens, turkeys, and other birds have been slaughtered, most of them egg-laying hens.

In addition, the passage of cage-free egg laws in 10 states has disrupted supply chains further. These laws mandate that chickens have a minimum amount of space or be cage-free. In states like California, Massachusetts, and Michigan, the transition to cage-free eggs has pushed prices even higher. For example, at a Target in Chicago, a dozen conventional eggs was priced at $4.49, while cage-free eggs were selling for $6.19.

Why Is the Virus So Difficult to Control?

Bird flu is primarily spread by wild birds, such as ducks and geese, which carry the virus without getting sick. This allows the virus to mutate and thrive as wild birds migrate. The flu spreads easily through bird droppings or any interaction between farm-raised poultry and wild birds. It can even be brought into farms on workers’ boots or vehicles.

Unlike previous outbreaks, this one hasn’t been quelled by summer heat, as the virus found a new host in dairy cattle last March. While cattle don’t die from bird flu, their sicknesses provide more opportunities for the virus to spread. Additionally, more than 60 people have contracted bird flu since last March, with one death, though no evidence suggests it spreads from person to person.

Efforts to Combat the Virus

Farmers are taking extensive precautions to protect their flocks. Many have installed truck washes to disinfect vehicles entering the farm and require workers to shower and change clothes before entering poultry barns. Some farms even use lasers to keep wild birds away.

Additionally, dairy farmers are isolating sick cattle and performing extra testing to prevent further outbreaks. Despite these efforts, vaccination for poultry remains impractical, as it would require vaccinating millions of chickens, and many countries may refuse to buy meat from vaccinated birds.

While no bird flu-infected animals are allowed in the food supply, experts assure the public that cooking meat to 165°F (74°C) kills the virus, and pasteurization kills it in milk.

The Financial Toll

The financial toll of the bird flu outbreak has been staggering. While it’s hard to estimate how much individual farmers have spent on biosecurity measures—like sealing barns and building shower houses—the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has spent over $1.14 billion compensating farmers for lost birds. The USDA also allocated more than $576 million for its own response efforts.

The bird flu has also affected the prices of turkey, chicken, and milk, leading to further pressure on grocery bills.

At a Minneapolis supermarket, manager Mike Vickers expressed the difficulty in managing egg prices: “It’s the first time in my life that I’ve ever had to be kind of embarrassed about what I’m selling eggs for.” Despite paying $7.45 per dozen, the store is only making 14 cents on each dozen sold.

The Bottom Line

Egg prices are not likely to return to normal anytime soon. The ongoing bird flu outbreak, coupled with state laws on cage-free eggs, continues to put pressure on the supply chain. With no immediate end in sight to the crisis, shoppers will likely face higher prices, limited availability, and frustration at the grocery store for the foreseeable future.

Source

The post Egg Shortages and Price Hikes: What’s Causing the Surge? appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.