‘Sushi pops’ make classic sushi easy to handle—and subo

Sushi pop comes in a cardboard tube that lets diners push the roll up as they eat.

POV: You’re at an office pakain. One of the orders is a box of sushi. You try to pick up a piece with chopsticks and dip it into the soy sauce with wasabi. You do your best not to drop it into the sauce, especially as you’re about to take a big subo.

Then your work bestie, who watches Reels like there’s no tomorrow, suddenly shows you something on their FYP: sushi being pushed out of a tube, one colorful piece at a time.

Ice pop? Not quite. Push Pop? Maybe, except it’s sushi.

The snack, reimagined in a more fun and convenient way, is a sushi pop. It has become a viral food trend, starting in New York and now making its way to other cities.

From New York, with a ‘push’

The sushi pop started making waves in New York City after Suka Sushi launched its version in November 2025.

Unlike traditional sushi, it comes in a cardboard tube that lets diners push the roll up as they eat. A slim tube attached to the side holds soy sauce, which can be poured or “injected” into the roll.

As noted by food news outlet Delicious Australia in a February feature, each sushi pop comes with 10 pre-cut, extra-large pieces, costing $15 to $17 (₱900 to ₱1,000).

Food content creator Moan Appétit called it “fun and sexy” in her review.

Not new, actually

The sushi pop had a predecessor back in 2010. Entrepreneurs Lucas Furst and Evan Kaye launched Sushi Poppers, essentially eight pieces of sushi flash-frozen and packed into a tube, with a soy sauce-filled stick used to push the pieces out.

The pair said they spent thousands of hours researching the product, inspired by children’s push-up snacks but targeting the “foodie crowds.” Furst told AOL News that people are “busy every single day of their lives,” with no time “to stop for lunch, let alone a healthy meal.”

But the idea didn’t quite catch on. The sushi had to be kept frozen and thawed for a couple of hours before eating, which may have made it less appealing than fresh sushi.

And unlike today’s viral sushi pop, it arrived before the era of TikTok and Instagram Reels, where unusual food concepts can quickly become viral trends. Even on TODAY at the time, host Kathie Lee Gifford called it “kind of gross,” while a staffer noted, “It’s OK.”

From New York to elsewhere

The sushi pop has since inspired versions beyond New York. In Singapore, Super Sushi launched SushiPOP on Aug. 3, while Florida’s Wave Asian Bistro & Sushi launched its own sushi push pops in July.

Wave Asian Bistro & Sushi said a supply of custom tubes that was supposed to last months was wiped out in just over a week. The restaurant is bringing them back on Sept. 2 at its Mount Dora and Maitland locations.

Of course, the Philippines has jumped on the bandwagon.

Sushi pops are already available at select branches of Sushi Nori and Watami Philippines across Metro Manila. They can also be found at MK Sushi Bar in SM Taytay and Vis-a-vis Lounge in Laoag.

Prices vary by shop, starting at ₱169 at MK Sushi Bar, ₱299 at Vis-a-vis Lounge, and ₱399 at Sushi Nori. Watami Philippines offers its versions for ₱410, ₱530 and ₱545.