Japan recently announced that its oldest silk factory, the Tomioka Silk Mill is expected to be named one of UNESCO's World Heritage sites later in June. With this announcement, the factory is getting a ton of attention and so are its highly unusual chocolates, which take the shape of white silkworms.
The chocolates themselves don't seem to contain any insect ingredients, but they are shaped to look just like a silkworm sitting on a leaf. The green leaf that the worm-shaped chocolate sits on is actually made from powdered mulberry leaves, which is said to give the chocolate a green tea-like flavor. As well as this, the white chocolate contains a mixture of berries and rice puffs, which makes it more tasty than it looks. As an even bigger tourist destination, Tomioka Silk Mill's little worm chocolates will probably become even bigger best sellers.
Worm-Shaped Chocolates
Japan's Tomioka Silk Mill Sells Unique Silkworm Chocolates
Trend Themes
1. Insect-themed Food - Food shaped like insects could become more popular in the novelty food market.
2. Mulberry Leaf Products - Powdered mulberry leaves could become a trendy new ingredient in the food industry.
3. Unconventional Packaging - Unique packaging that reflects the theme of the product could become a way to attract and retain customers.
Industry Implications
1. Food and Beverage - The food and beverage industry has an opportunity to innovate with unique shapes and ingredients.
2. Tourism - Tourism industry could take advantage of themed food products to promote local cultural experiences and increase revenue.
3. Packaging - Creative packaging could become a new focus area for the packaging industry to differentiate and add value to products.