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JUMPSTART
JUMPSTART
WHAT’S MISSING
FROM HK FOOD SCENE?
This is a huge question! I guess what we don’t lack in Hong Kong are food
entrepreneurs with great ideas, however, we do need some structural
facilitation. We need landlords that care about the quality and type of business
that goes on in their properties, not only how much rent they can afford. We
need better, more up-to-date, and easier licensing for food startups in order
to create a more vibrant cottage industry of locally made products. Finally,
food and tech worlds [should] work together, especially in the startup space.
Usually it’s the food-people initiating food tech, which is silly, because most
food people don’t know anything about tech, and tech people don’t know
much about food! If we had a platform to work together we could do great
things!
Island East Markets
The biggest hole in the food industry here is the lack of competitive quality
supermarkets. Travel to the USA or Europe; the supermarkets here wouldn’t
survive there. Where are the big European supermarket chains, where is Walmart
even? The vast majority of supermarket brands in Hong Kong are all ultimately
owned by two companies...[there’s a] lack of real competition...
I think it’s a shame that there are so
many cigar bars, but nobody in Hong
Kong can name a Cuban dish. These
so-called Cigar Aficionados seems
pretty one-dimensional in their
appreciation of what Cuba has to offer.
Where can I get some Lechon Asado,
black beans and rice? Or a good Cuban
sandwich? Oh, and while there are
Mexican restaurants in HK, are they
really safe for consumption?
Bonnie Chu
bonnie.chiba78.com
Food trucks and authentic
Northern Chinese food! In North
America, gourmet food trucks
have become an integral part
of our lifestyles. And being a
Beijinger, I miss all the savory
pastries and robust meats that
we have in the North. It’d be a
dream come true to have a food
truck that sells hipster Beijing
duck “tacos” in Hong Kong!
girlmeetscooking.com
Greg Hunt, Sunday Saikung Market
While Hong Kong has a thriving
food industry, we feel that
there is still opportunity for a
lot more. For starters, we feel
that apart from the 4-5 main
cuisines in Hong Kong there is
not too much in terms of variety
and quality on offer as there
is in other financial capitals
of the world (for example:
Ethiopian Cuisine). Additionally,
the concept of food trucks is
something that we feel will be
a very welcome addition to the
Hong Kong food industry.
Hidden Truffles
The concept of food trucks is something that
we feel will be a very welcome addition to the
Hong Kong food industry.
Homemade puff pastry,
homemade pizza dough,
homemade bread crumbs.
These items are so easy to find
in Canada and the US in the
higher-end supermarkets.
Jessica Bruser
Hong Kong has pretty much
everything, doesn’t it?! Although,
I did try looking for a Caribbean
restaurant a while ago and there are
none that I know of. I lived in the
Cayman Islands when I was younger
and occasionally get cravings for
beef patties!
hklovebites.com
Note: Stay tuned for the first
Caribbean Restaurant opening
this summer,
Mandy’s Caribbean Restaurant
& Bar in Saikung.
Not really. I think we have
been slower than other places
in getting on trends like good
coffee, food markets, pop-ups,
eating clean, etc., but we’re
getting there, and there really is
room for everyone.
HK needs a good organic market with
bulk bins. I know the wet market sells
dried foods in bulk but would prefer
organic. There are many small shops
selling organic products in HK but
their prices are so expensive! Also,
donut shops!
Jen Hartley
What Hong Kong needs is a great
one-stop shop like Amazon for
everything so you don’t have to
schlep around for 8 hours in hot
sticky weather with one billion
people as your company.
Mary Totin Schaus
jasmine-ginger.com
With such a broad food scene, it’s really
hard to find something lacking. That
said, I really miss the beer gardens
you find back in English pubs. It would
be wonderful if Hong Kong had more
outdoor spaces to sit and eat.
Jennie Cranham, blogger,
scarletscorchdroppers.com
The trouble is
you have to go to
three different
supe ɵ