Island Selection, established in 2020, would like to tell people touching stories of fertility and goodness on the island of Taiwan. For over 400 days, Island Selection had visited place of production, discovered local farmers, and started to have an idea of promoting Taiwan wheat. In 2021, the first product of “Sun Taiwanese Pancake Flour” was launched.

The Taiwan wheat used for making Sun Taiwanese Pancake Flour is under contract farming and planted in an eco-friendly way. Wheat growers are guaranteed protection. In addition, they do not poison or capture birds, and do not use herbicides, insecticides and chemical fertilizers for field management.  Although this would reduce wheat yield, we can see birds and beetles in and above the wheat fields.  We  promise and practice “circular symbiosis between man and nature.

    Island Selection hopes to create more opportunities for Taiwan wheat.  Therefore, we choose Taiwan wheat under contract farming as the material to produce Sun Taiwanese Pancake Flour, and use “batter-based pancake,” a classic Taiwanese breakfast, to promote the product, hoping to create a better industry ecosystem.  Meanwhile, introduce fertility and tastiness of a Taiwanese local crop to everybody.

During pandemic, there are various kinds of uncertainties that prompt everybody to cherish things we have taken for granted. Many issues had been neglected also emerged.  During turbulent 2021, news reported shortage of various kinds of materials. General public stockpiled toilet paper in the panic. The Evergeen ship blocking the Suez Canal halted trading of raw materials.  Following these incidents, people have started to wonder whether Taiwanese relies too much on imports for their daily lives, and lost ability to be self-sufficient.

Taiwan relies heavily on imported wheat, and has a self-sufficiency rate of wheat at below 1%.  In case there is a major suspension of transportation service, a huge impact of wheat supply shortage will be on downstream operations, including noodle shops, bakeries, up to flour-made food factories and flour mills.  Perhaps because it is romantic or a groundless worry, we decided to take the first step to promote Taiwan wheat.

”Will local food materials be appreciated and cherished  more if they can be made into traditional Taiwanese delicacies?”  This idea has facilitate Island Selection to choose “pancake flour” as a representative product to describe the beauty of Taiwan wheat.

Breakfast is one of the most iconic meals showing Taiwanese food culture, and pancake is the most popular choice among various breakfast foods. In particular, homemade Taiwanese pancake is added with tapioca flour, it is thick, solid and very elastic.  When it is topped with fresh chopped green onions and an egg, or even ham, corns or other ingredients, a satisfying breakfast is completed in such a simply way.

Nevertheless, the time- and labor-consuming batter-based pancake has gradually disappeared.  It has been replaced by semi-finished pancake dough, which doesn’t have its original thickness, as well as simple and friendly style. Island Selection launched the first pancake flour product in Taiwan for people to make pancake on their own, considerately simplifying the tedious preparation for making homemade pancake.  Just a pack of “Sun Taiwanese Pancake Flour,” you can simply stay at home to duplicate the most classic Taiwanese breakfast easily.  The tasty dish made from golden Taiwan wheat helps everybody welcome every morning full of energy!

According to the latest statistical information made by the Council of Agriculture in 2019, Taiwan wheat yield was around 4,831 metric tons per year, but 3/4 of this yield was contracted to Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor Inc. for making wine, instead of being used for making foods for Taiwanese people. However, the average annual domestic consumption of wheat is 1 to 1.2 million metric tons, meaning that a great variety of tasty noodles and bread seen in our daily lives are made from imported wheat.

However, the yield of Taiwan wheat is not enough for mass production. In addition, several factors have made farmers less likely to grow wheat: the breed of Taiwan wheat is not suitable for baking, it’s twice the price of imported wheat, low market acceptance.

Although it is difficult, we are grateful a small group of people have been quietly reviving the plantation of Taiwan wheat across the island. We cooperate with “Joy&Hope Workshop” in Changhua.  Joy&Hope Workshop’s contracted wheat is planted in an “eco-friendly environment,” meaning farmers do not capture(poison) birds, and do not use herbicides, insecticides and chemical fertilizers for field management.  Although the wheat yield is relatively lower, we are committed to “circularity in the symbiotic relationship between man and nature.”

Every spring, wheat is mature and ready to be harvested. The stunning scene of golden wheat waves is like what one might see in other countries. A landscape that contains an edible material that care about mankind and nature is in “Sun Taiwanese Pancake Flour.”  Delivered from fields to dining table, it allows people to feel kindheartedness of farmers engaging in contract farming to protect land and people of Taiwan. It practices Six Industrialization for local creations in which “trinity of production, place and people” is central.

Taiwan wheat is planted in autumn of every year, and harvested in early spring. It is particularly suitable to grow in an environment with high-temperature, low-humidity and great-sunlight.  Besides, wheat has low water consumption, making it a crop that can be planted very easily.  There was a saying, “Lazy women like to be guests, and lazy men like to grow wheat.”  From this saying, it is not difficult to know how easy it is to grow wheat. With nourishment of sunlight, Taiwan wheat grows very well. Taiwan wheat does not have additives and food miles that wheat imported from foreign countries has, instead, it has fresh wheat fragrance and beautiful simplicity and cordiality of Taiwan.

To consider both taste and quality, Island Selection particularly invited Mr. Zhang Guo-Rong, honorary chairperson of Taipei Bakery Association and founder of Viva Bakery and Cafe Shop to conduct research and development of pancake flour.  With his rich experience, fastidious taste buds and appeals for natural and healthy food, he created the well-blended pancake flour for people to make homemade pancake easily and conveniently.  Now accessing simple and pure Taiwanese delicacy is much easier.

Two flavors have been launched: “grain blend flavor” and “vegetable flavor.”  In addition to fresh flour made from Taiwan wheat under contract farming in Dacheng Township, Changhua, the grain blend flavor pancake flour is added with black beans, red pearl barley and rye buckwheat, all of which are also planted in eco-friendly fields in Changhua.   Vegetable flavor pancake flour is added with spinach, celery, cabbage, Taiwanese yam, peas, carrots and coriander, which provide not only nutrients, but also layered tastes in pancake crust. With Sun Taiwanese Pancake Flour, serving the most beautiful Taiwanese cuisine on dining table is simple and easy.