Xiao Long Bao (also known as Soup Dumpling or Tang Bao) was invented in Shanghai, China. It is a type of steamed dumpling famous for its translucent, thin wrapper and savory meat filling with a flavorful broth, widely adored by gourmet connoisseurs. Xiao Long Bao was created as a novelty dumpling and sold as humble street food. Skillful Dim Sum chefs later refined it into a specialty dish served at various Chinese restaurants. Today, new business models and brands have been created to serve scrumptious soup dumplings across the world. Xiao Long Bao is Taiwan's most popular local dish; it was nominated as one of CNN's "The World's Tastiest Dumplings" in 2024, and it also caught the attention of numerous restaurateurs, food manufacturers, and entrepreneurs. "Nanxiang Xiao Long Bao" (南翔小籠包) is a well-known brand in the United States; it has been on the Bib Gourmand list of the Michelin Guide for nine consecutive years since 2009 and received unanimous praise from various local media! An acclaimed Taiwanese restaurant chain that opened more than 160 branches worldwide, recently announced the opening of their largest flagship restaurant in a prime location in New York City in July 2024. It offers an authentic "casual fine dining" experience that is creating much excitement in the culinary world! What is the secret to making irresistibly delicious Xiao Long Bao and build a successful Dumpling business? Let's find out!

There are many Chinatowns, numerous Chinese restaurants, and Sino food businesses in all major cities in the United States. Recently, Xiao Long Bao subverted the stereotypical greasy Chinese take-out food and surprised diners with its delicate texture and savory broth, it is especially popular in gourmet cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, and New York City! A world-renowned restaurant chain, established in Taiwan, is a business that standardized the production of traditional soup dumplings and accurately mastered the golden ratio of the dumpling wrapper, filling, and broth, dexterously using 18 handmade pleats to seal each Xiao Long Bao. Coupled with a stylish dining interior and quick and attentive service, the brand successfully won the hearts of consumers worldwide. Xiao Long Bao restaurants' success has inspired chefs and business owners to open their renowned brands, including Super Juicy Dumplings (Wuxi Xiao Long Bao), Seven Grams, Mama Lu's Dumpling House, and the list goes on.

Xiao Long Bao restaurants entered the European markets later than in North America, but soon flourished in many major metropolitan cities such as London, Paris, Milan, and Barcelona. These delicate soup dumplings served in a steamer basket have attracted local diners and travelers alike to enjoy a sensational meal and an authentic dining experience. In Australia, the food scene is very diverse and international; Asian cuisine is commonly present and fused in everyday meals. Numerous Chinese restaurants and Dim Sum houses serve Xiao Long Bao as their signature dish, especially in Melbourne and Sydney, while new establishments are opening rapidly.

The demand for Xiao Long Bao has risen so high that many restaurants and food manufacturers have begun producing frozen soup dumplings as new products to increase revenue. Whether the Xiao Long Bao is handmade or made with automation, freezing prolongs the product's shelf life and offers consumers the convenience of "steaming" or "frying" them at home. Well-known frozen soup dumpling brands include Mìlà (蜜辣), Trader Joe's, Kung Fu Food, Shanghai Streets and Urban Eats. In addition to making great-tasting Xiao Long Bao, product consistency, and unique packaging are crucial to success. Some brands offer online shopping and free delivery services, where consumers can easily purchase various Soup Dumplings, dipping sauces, plates, chopsticks, and even bamboo steamers to create their own Xiao Long Bao experience at home.

Traditional Shanghai-style soup dumplings are filled with seasoned minced pork and broth jelly. The wrappers are translucent after steaming, and the jelly melts into a rich broth. Recently, the recipes and dumpling-making techniques have been refined with more emphasis focused on quality ingredients. New flavors such as chicken, luffa, shrimp, and vegetable Xiao Long Bao offer consumers different options. Some proprietors and brands added "a kick" to their Xiao Long Bao, using Sichuan-style "Mala" peppers, Korean Kimchi, and Japanese Wasabi to surprise their heat-loving consumers. "Paradise Dynasty" restaurant also offers Western-style Xiao Long Bao made with minced pork with cheese, pulled pork, and black truffle flavored pork fillings. Some restaurants developed the "Giant" soup dumpling that requires a straw to sip the soup, attracting adventurous consumers to try it! For dessert, black sesame, sweet bean paste, and chocolate-filled Xiao Long Bao are subtly sweet and pair well with tea after a satisfying meal; they can also be enjoyed as afternoon tea snacks.

ANKO has extensive experience in the automated food equipment industry; we are also aware of how time-consuming and difficult it is for chefs to master Chinese pastries and Dim Sum. With global labor shortages and soaring prices, opening Chinese restaurants or Dim Sum shops can be even more challenging. Hence, we developed customizable Xiao Long Bao Production Solutions to assist restaurants and food manufacturers in fulfilling their production requirements.
ANKO offers:

• Basic Xiao Long Bao Production: ANKO's HLT-700U Multipurpose Filling and Forming Machine, paired with the EA-100KA Forming Machine, designed to efficiently produce 6,000 Xiao Long Bao per hour with premade dough and different fillings.
• Integrated Xiao Long Bao Production Line: Based on the client's production requirements and current factory layout, ANKO can help configure and source various food preparation equipment, filling and forming machines, IQF/freezer, commercial steamers, and packaging devices. We provide professional integration services to create a complete Xiao Long Bao production line seamlessly. ANKO can also offer professional food X-ray inspection machines to ensure that the quality of every packaged Xiao Long Bao product exceeds most retail channels' food safety regulation standards.

In addition to providing high-quality Xiao Long Bao machines and the supporting equipment to complete a production line, ANKO's professional team can assist traditional food companies in transitioning into automated production. We offer professional technical support, recipe optimization, and new flavor development services. Please feel free to contact us and schedule a demonstration anytime to discover our machine's ultra-efficient automated production and quality. We can quickly help you get started with a few simple steps!