What is the Japanese cheesecake yoghurt trend?

Where has this trend come from?

This biscuit-yoghurt combination has thousands of users online trying it out, with one post gaining 11.2 million views in days. Many recipe websites have also added the Japanese cheesecake yoghurt since it became popular.

Gaining popularity through its ‘hack’ like status, its seen as an easy way to have cheesecake, removing time spent baking or buying them. The Japanese cheesecake yoghurt takes minutes to assemble, with the longest part of the process the time it spends in the fridge.

Likewise, the treat has been promoted by some as the “healthy, low calorie” alternative, as mentioned by one user in a post with 3.3 million views. While biscuits aren’t particularly healthy, Greek yoghurt is considered good for you, as it can contain twice as much protein as other yoghurts.

Another appeal to this treat is that it’s popular. In psychology, Social proof is the name for why we are drawn to following trends – coined by psychologist Robert Cialdini in 1984. In his theory, when we see people we admire trying out new pairs of shoes, or appealing snacks, the urge to do the same is social proof in action.

In this case, images of alluring tubs of yoghurt with perfectly placed biscuits have popped up online. In a response to the phenomenon going viral, users are drawn to join the trend and be part of it.