Made From Leftovers, Now a Hit... "Batanoitoko" Takes Japan's MZ Generation by Storm [Delicious Story]

Byproduct Left After Making Butter, Skim Milk
Transformed Into a Snack Due to Lack of Disposal Methods
Revitalizing the Local Economy and Creating Jobs

Recently, a snack has sparked a hot response among Japan's MZ generation. The product is called "Batanoitoko" (バタ一のいとこ), which literally translates to "Butter's Cousin." The key ingredient of this snack is the liquid left over after making butter, known as "skim milk." It was created as a new snack after considering how to recycle the large amount of skim milk that used to be discarded by farms after butter production. The taste is similar to butter, but since it does not contain real butter, it is aptly named "Butter's Cousin."

The Liquid Left After Making Butter Transformed Into a Snack

Batanoitoko, a regional specialty snack from Japan. It is made by layering two crispy waffles made with skim milk instead of real butter. Batanoitoko official website

Batanoitoko was developed by Koichi Miyamoto, a businessman living in the Nasu region of Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, in collaboration with the locally famous restaurant "Chus." Despite its unique name, the snack looks like an ordinary waffle. It consists of two layers of crispy waffle pastry with a sweet and sticky jam filling inside. Recently, the variety of fillings available has increased. Customers can now choose from milk, chocolate, salted caramel, red bean butter with Hokkaido red beans, blueberry, and banana flavors.

Batanoitoko is sold in packs of two large waffle cookies on the official website, with a price of around 1,700 yen (approximately 16,000 won). Since the main ingredient is a byproduct left after making butter, the leftover crumbs (rusk) from making the snack are also sealed in a small plastic container and included. These crumbs are the trimmed waffle ends used to shape the product. The manufacturer emphasizes, "We include every part produced during the making of Batanoitoko," and adds, "You can enjoy every bit of its goodness."

Skim Milk Once Sold at a Loss or Discarded Now Powers the Local Economy

Batanoitoko has generated an enthusiastic response among Japan's MZ generation. Initially, it was only available for online delivery as a regional specialty of Nasu, but after opening its first offline store in Hokkaido in December 2021, it has since expanded throughout Japan.

Batanoitoko collects and sells the cut-off waffle corner pieces that are trimmed to shape the cookies. This shows a strong commitment to not wasting valuable ingredients. Batanoitoko website

The secret to its popularity lies in "sustainability." Nasu is a region with a developed dairy industry and currently boasts the second highest raw milk production in Japan after Hokkaido. Many processed dairy products are made in Nasu, and the quality of its cheese, butter, and cream is among the best in the country.

However, as Nasu's dairy industry expanded, so did its challenges?particularly the issue of handling skim milk, a byproduct left after making cheese, butter, or cream. Cheese and butter are foods made by collecting the rich fat in milk and turning it into a solid form. The milk left after making cheese or butter is a pale liquid with almost no fat remaining, referred to as skim milk.

The Nasu region in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, is famous as the second largest dairy farming area after Hokkaido. Michikusa Guide homepage

Skim milk lacks the distinctive flavor of regular milk but still retains a subtle sweetness from lactose. In Western countries, it is commonly used as a cooking ingredient and is sold separately as "skim milk" or "buttermilk." However, in Japan, where demand for non-fat milk is low, there was no effective way to handle the large volumes of skim milk produced. It often had to be sold at a loss or simply discarded. However, since Batanoitoko gained popularity, the price of skim milk has stabilized.

A Form of "Supportive Consumption"..."Created a Grassroots Business"

The skimmed milk left after butter production is the key ingredient of Batanoytoko. While skimmed milk is commonly used as a cooking ingredient in Western countries, it is known to be difficult to sell or process in Asian countries such as Japan and Korea due to its unfamiliarity. YouTube capture

The secret to Batanoitoko's popularity is "value-driven consumption." Regarding this, Batanoitoko founder Miyamoto stated in a local media interview, "I would like to call it consumption that conveys a mindset, or supportive consumption." By purchasing Batanoitoko, consumers help create jobs in Nasu and surrounding areas, and also contribute to recycling industrial waste and protecting the environment.

Batanoitoko also helps promote the sale of local farmers' agricultural products. The butter in the red bean butter Batanoitoko is sourced from Nasu farms, and only organic red beans grown in Hokkaido are used for the filling. Thus, ordering this snack directly supports the local economy and farmers. Miyamoto emphasized, "When developing Batanoitoko, I didn't set out with a grand goal from the start, but as a result, through voluntary cooperation with dairy farmers, we created a grassroots, bottom-up product," and added, "Every time this snack is sold, it brings joy to both local residents and consumers."