Alishan Forest Railway Teams Up With Kuai Kuai for a Blueberry Yogurt Snack

A century-old steam locomotive has inspired an unusual souvenir: a blueberry yogurt version of Taiwan’s familiar Kuai Kuai snack.

The Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office partnered with the Taiwanese snack brand to create the limited-edition product, drawing on the railway’s most recognizable steam train, Shay 21. The snack turns railway history into a small travel keepsake.

The choice of blueberry is deliberate. Built in 1912, Shay 21 was the Alishan Forest Railway’s first 28-ton steam locomotive. It carried timber, agricultural products, mail and passengers, linking Alishan with Chiayi’s industry and daily life. The locomotive also witnessed Chiayi’s development as a center known for timber and painting.

After restoration, Shay 21 returned to the railway in 2024 while retaining its coal-fired power system. That detail supplied the idea behind the product’s name and flavor concept, described as “coal-fired x blueberry.”

Kuai Kuai carries its own cultural association in Taiwan. People often connect the snack with the idea that machinery will operate smoothly and that things will go well. The partnership uses the locomotive’s coal-powered history and the snack’s symbolism to convey a wish for safe, trouble-free journeys.

The blueberry yogurt rice snack is being produced in a limited run of 2,100 cases, each containing 12 packs. Each pack costs NT$45. It is available at Chiayi Beimen Station, the first-floor visitor center at Alishan Station, and selected stores in central and southern Taiwan.