Bread Winners

How does the humble shio pan stay in demand? Bakeries rise to the challenge with creative new flavours

- Hedy Khoo

The plain old shio pan has been having a glow-up recently. The Japanese salted butter bun now comes with inventive fillings, including savory ones like garlic cheese and honey ham, and sweet versions such as strawberry custard and kaya.

Believed to have originated at Pain Maison in Ehime Prefecture in late 2014, the crisp buttery rolls first appeared on local bakery shelves in 2015.

They staged a comeback in 2021, buoyed by the Covid-19 pandemic baking craze.

Mr Eric Ng, 46, executive director of Swee Heng Bakery and founder of halal-certified bakery chain Crolo By Swee Heng, which specializes in croissants and "crorolls" (a combination of croissants and rolls), says shio pan with fillings and flavors have gained momentum since 2024.

"They are becoming a staple in the bakery scene," he says.

Swee Heng 1989 Classic and Crolo introduced plain shio pan ($2) in 2023 before moving on to flavored versions in October 2024 with items such as Garlic Cheese Shio Pan ($2.50).

Between July and August, Swee Heng Bakery rolled out eight new variations, among them Fish Fillet Cheese with Egg Shio Pan ($2.50) and Strawberry Custard Pudding ($3).

Mr Ng says: "As more and more bakeries are selling the original shio pan, it becomes common. Competition is keen, so sales for each brand will drop as everybody is vying for the same consumer dollar. The pie is only so big. We have to come up with new flavors to attract customers."

Japanese bakery chain Four Leaves, which began selling original shio pan in 2017, launched the Honey Ham Sio Pan ($2.40) at its St Leaven Bakery outlet in Takashimaya's Food Hall in April 2024.

The chain's general manager, Mr Chua Koon Yong Thomas, 63, says the launch was aimed at revitalizing the sales of the original shio pan.