ROCKET NEWS


 

Who’s ready to eat their morning coffee?

From the moment we woke up on the morning of March 1, we were looking forward to a taste of invigorating coffee. But we had no plans to brew a pot of java, because there’s now a whole new way to get your coffee fix in Japan.

Coming a little over a year after the introduction of sliced chocolate to the culinary world, Japanese food and beverage company Yukijirushi Megmilk, also known as Megmilk Snow Brand, has released a coffee-flavored spread for bread and other baked goods. Called Yukijirushi Coffee Soft, its packaging even bears a strong resemblance to the company’s Yukijirushi Coffee, which has been keeping coffee fans in Japan happy for 55 years.

▼ Yukijirushi Coffee




 

We found the coffee spread for sale at a Tokyo branch of supermarket Ito Yokado, where it was being sold for the extremely attractive price of just 203 yen (US$1.80).

Yukijirushi Coffee Soft’s name reminds us of Neo Soft, a brand of margarine sold by Megmilk Snow Brand. Sure enough, inside the box we found a plastic tub just like the one Neo Soft comes in, except filled instead with coffee-flavored spread.

▼ The spread is lighter in color than the coffee that inspired it, which can be seen in the glass on the left.

 

To get the taste test rolling, we tried a half-spoonful of the spread by itself. Coffee Soft quickly melts in the mouth, with coffee notes, a bit of a salty kick, and a faint sweetness as it coats the tongue.

Next, we spread a pat of it on a slice of freshly toasted bread.
While Coffee Soft tastes pretty good all on its own, this is where it really shines. Melting its way into a fragrant slice of toast, the combination of the starchy crunch and salt-tinged coffee is incredibly satisfying.

 

Megmilk Snow Brand also recommends Coffee Soft for pancakes and sponge cakes. However, the spread isn’t really sweet enough to make it a viable desert flavoring. Instead, we recommend using it as a butter substitute. It’s mild enough in flavor that you won’t grow tired of it, but tasty enough that you’ll still be craving it even after the novelty wears off.