Baozi on the rise?

Prepared Foods, Feb, 2009

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According to Wikipedia, Chinese baozi, also known as bao, bau, nunu or pow, is a type of steamed bun filled with meat or vegetarian fillings and often seasoned with nutmeg. In China, they are sold at street stalls from large steamers, sometimes with dipping sauces. In the U.S., they can be found at a variety of restaurants serving Asian cuisine. However, a search of Mintel International's GNPD for these names shows no U.S. retail steamed bun introductions from 1997-2005, when the Safeway Select Gourmet Club brand introduced Cha Siu Bao, barbecue-seasoned, steamed "pork buns filled with lean pork and a sweet five-spice hoisin sauce." In 2006, Tasty launched a B.B.Q. Pork Bao. The year 2008 has seen two new product introductions; Okami launched "Asian-Style Steamed Buns," filled with port and barbecue sauce, while The Perfect Bite Co. is offering Kung Bao, Asian Buns with Chicken Sesame. It will be a while before baozi vendors match the numbers of those for hot dogs, but for something hot, portable and unique, baozis may have a future.

--PF Editors