Distinguished guests attending the on-site voting event for the "17th 2026 Taichung City Top 10 Souvenirs" pose for a group photo with this year’s TOP 100 CAKE GIFTS vendors. Photo / Jun-yang Xu
Organized by the Taichung City Industrial Development & Investment Promotion Committee (IDIPC), the "17th 2026 Taichung City Top 10 Souvenirs," a landmark annual event for Taichung, held its on-site voting from January 10 to 11 for two consecutive days at the Taichung City Hall Plaza. This event brought together 100 premium souvenir brands from across the mountain, coastal, Tun, and urban districts to set up booths and showcase their products, attracting a large crowd to vote, shop, and grab deals, creating a vibrant atmosphere.
TOP 100 CAKE GIFTS "3:15 PM." Photo / Jun-yang Xu
Chia-hsing Lin, Deputy Director-General of the IDIPC, stated that the Taichung City Top 10 Souvenirs selection has entered its 17th year, attracting thousands of businesses over time and selecting hundreds of outstanding brands, making it the most influential official selection event in Taiwan’s souvenir industry. Winning manufacturers not only symbolize quality and reputation endorsed by the city government but also benefit from enhanced brand visibility and market competitiveness. Lin noted that the event was held at the City Hall Plaza for the first time this year, drawing a massive crowd early in the morning. Participating vendors pulled out all the stops to rally votes, offering limited discounts and preparing hundreds or even thousands of gifts for supporting consumers, inviting the public to experience the diverse charm of Taichung souvenirs while voting and browsing the market.
TOP 100 CAKE GIFTS "DUO LI DUO Leisure Foods." Photo / Jun-yang Xu
This year’s entries encompass diverse categories including traditional pastries, beverages, innovative baking, and lifestyle cultural and creative items. In addition to long-established heritage brands, numerous unique shops representing young farmers, indigenous people, Hakka culture, and social enterprises participated, showcasing the gift-giving landscape of Taichung that blends cultural depth with innovative energy. This year, the IDIPC introduced the "First Prize" for two distinct categories: "Bakery and Roasting" and "Specialty Cultural and Creative." Online voting concluded on the 9th, accumulating over 70,000 votes in just three days, reflecting the intense competition. Lin emphasized that "being shortlisted is an affirmation," and the award ceremony on the 11th will not only announce the First Prize winners but also present the "Quality Gift Label" to shortlisted establishments, symbolizing the joint effort between the city government and businesses to stimulate the economy and create opportunities.
TOP 100 GIFTS "Lemon Forest." Photo / Jun-yang Xu
Ming-cheng Long, Specialist of the Taichung City Economic Development Bureau, pointed out that the Taichung souvenir industry possesses three main characteristics: youthful vitality, immense research and development creativity, and high-quality products at affordable prices (high CP value). The Economic Development Bureau will continue to assist businesses in expanding their markets and creating more business opportunities through "festival economies" such as the Sun Cake Cultural Festival and the Taichung Shopping Festival.
TOP 100 GIFTS "Waka Coffee." Photo / Jun-yang Xu
Hsiao-wei Wang, Chairperson of the Taichung City Gift Association, stated that the sunny weather made it an ideal day for the public to shop, wishing participating shops successful sales and achievements over the two days. Hsu-tung Chi, Chairperson of the Taichung Bakery Association, noted that Taichung has always been the home of pastries and that the involvement of many young generations in the baking industry has injected new vitality into traditional pastries.
TOP 100 GIFTS "Mori Confections." Photo / Jun-yang Xu
City Councilor Shi-zhou Liu also visited the site to cheer on the businesses. He remarked that while the weather was cool, the vendors were full of passion and the public was enthusiastic about voting and shopping, looking forward to the revelation of the First Prize winners at the award ceremony on the 11th.
TOP 100 GIFTS "Uiipie French Desserts." Photo / Jun-yang Xu
The IDIPC explained that on-site voting took place on the 10th and 11th from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The voting area, located on the Wenxin Building side of the City Hall Plaza, utilized mobile number binding for verification, with each person limited to one vote. Voters were required to select 8 to 10 entries to complete the process and qualify for a prize draw, with chances to win sun cake gift boxes and other souvenirs. The organizers also implemented mechanisms such as mobile verification and periodic changes to the voting URL to ensure that the process remained fair, just, and transparent.
Additionally, queue management at the event site was flexibly adjusted based on crowd flow, and service desks with medical personnel were established to provide immediate assistance. The public was urged to follow staff instructions to jointly maintain voting order and event safety.
News Source: 【Commercial Times】
https://www.ctee.com.tw/news/20260110700641-431207
