Flower cakes create a prosperous industry

The flaky flower cake is a typical dessert in Yunnan. (Photo by Yunnan Daily)

Flower cake, a typical dessert in Yunnan, is a flaky pastry stuffed with edible Yunnan rose. Here, the small cake has become a distinctive product and a prosperous industry for the local people. Data shows that the flower cake industry in Yunnan has thousands of enterprises, with the annual output value exceeding 6 billion yuan in Kunming city alone, capital of Yunnan province.

Xu Tianxue, Deputy Director of the Kunming Municipal Rural Industrial Development Division of the Agricultural and Rural Bureau, introduced that when spring came, every corner of the city would be filled with flowers.

Planting and enjoying flowers have become a common daily entertainment for people in Kunming. Because of flower cakes, flowers have changed from being simply something to be watched to a part of the culinary economy, expanding the Kunming floral industry chain and creating new value.

The producing workshop produces flower cakes. (Photo by Yunnan Daily)

The booming industry depends on the flowers. The cultivation of edible roses in Bajie street of Anning in Kunming, has a history of more than 70 years. Thanks to to the unique geographical and traditional advantages, Bajie street has become the largest production base of edible roses in Yunnan province.

In 2022, the street produced 4,500 tons of edible roses with a value of approximately 54 million yuan, and the comprehensive production and processing value reached 102 million yuan.

Efforts are being made to accelerate brand building, with a focus on creating a brand for edible roses. According to statistics, there are over 200 flower cake brands in Kunming, including both handmade workshops, factory and enterprises.

Source: Yunnan Daily; trans-editing by Wang Yunya