On bakery shelves, milk-skin desserts sell out quickly after launch. On social media, searches for “milk skin” continue to rise, with tutorials widely shared across food communities. This popularity comes without heavy marketing — it speaks through flavor. So, does milk skin’s success signal a dairy revival or a shift in taste preferences? Whether viewed as a dairy revival or a shift in taste, this phenomenon is increasingly discussed at events like specialized Baking ingredient exhibition, where local flavors and ingredient innovation gain spotlight.

I. From Pasture to City: The Rise of Milk Skin

Milk skin is a traditional dairy product from Inner Mongolia, made by slowly heating and resting fresh milk to form a porous, creamy layer. It retains a rich milky aroma and natural roasted fragrance. For Mongolians, it’s a homely childhood treat. But in urban bakeries, labels like “grassland”, “handmade”, and “additive-free” add cultural appeal, turning it into a symbol of authenticity and anti-industrial sentiment.

Milk skin has now crossed product categories, appearing in everything from desserts to street snacks. In baking, it has become a go-to ingredient for new launches. Prices have soared — what once sold for under 10 yuan in Inner Mongolia now reaches 50–100 yuan per stick, yet still sells out. From big cities to small towns, milk skin has become a universal flavor across consumer tiers.

II. Why Milk Skin Has Become So Popular

Scarcity gives milk skin inherent value: it takes about ten pounds of milk to produce one pound of skin. It also concentrates milk’s nutritional essence, offering a pure, rich dairy taste. This “natural + nutritious + textured” profile fits today’s demand for clean-label foods.

Moreover, milk skin meets both consumer and industry needs. It balances creaminess with lower sugar, and its unique look drives social media sharing — user posts on platforms like Xiaohongshu create powerful word-of-mouth. For bakers facing stiff competition and ingredient fatigue, milk skin offers differentiation. As a local specialty, it enables East-West fusion — blending traditional grassland elements with Western techniques — tapping into the rising “guochao” (China-chic) trend.

III. Flavor Trends: From Hokkaido to Inner Mongolia

Years ago, baking trends highlighted Hokkaido milk and imported cheeses. Now, the focus has shifted toward local, authentic, and natural flavors. Consumers value storytelling and ingredient integrity over technical complexity. Milk skin represents this shift — toward warmth, authenticity, and emotional value. Whether in cakes, toast, or tanghulu, it offers not just taste but an experience.

The real strength of milk skin lies in the flavor consensus it builds. Every sold-out batch and social media post adds to its cultural momentum. For brands, success isn’t about copying milk skin exactly, but about capturing its essence — simple, authentic, and emotionally resonant.

Bakery China 2026 will continue to share more industry professional content with you, so please stay tuned!

Bakery China 2026, organized by China Association of Bakery and Confectionery Industry (CABCI) and Bakery China Exhibitions Co., Ltd. was launched since 1997. Bakery China 2026 is the Asia Pacific’s leading event serving the entire value chain for the bakery and confectionery market. The event presents all range of ingredient, equipment, packaging and services, and enables global leading professionals and buyer delegates to meet and share the latest innovations and thinking on manufacturing & distribution, R&D, applications and related services for bakery industry. It is the first-choice trade fair to enter China’s bakery market.

(Source: FoodDaily)