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Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Gregory So Kam-leung (centre), attends the Result Announcement Ceremony of the Cook-off Challenge of the Food Truck Pilot Scheme to announce the list of the 16 selected applicants and their signature dishes in Pok Fu Lam on July 27. Photo: Nora Tam

Exclusive | Hong Kong’s new food trucks: wonton noodles, halal Cantonese pastries, egg tarts and pork rolls soon on offer among 16 winning operators

Among the victors are Capital Cafe, which will offer halal-certified Cantonese pastries, wonton noodle restaurant chain Chee Kei and western-style restaurant chain Beef & Liberty

Hong Kong has edged closer to having food trucks roaming around, as 16 winners were chosen yesterday, with 11 of them being controlled by corporate players.

Most of the victors will offer Chinese dishes on the food trucks to be stationed at eight tourist spots. Four others will offer Western options, such as grilled cheese sandwiches, while another four will lure customers with international offerings.

Commissioner for Tourism Cathy Chu Man-ling said the fact that seven local start-ups and micro-enterprises were among the winners proved the selection process was fair and impartial. This also eliminated doubts that the programme would be dominated by big catering groups.

“This is a new start,” Swadiq Khan, owner of Hong Kong-style cafe chain Capital Cafe, said after receiving the good news. His team successfully won over the jury of nine with its Spain Iberian Pork Club Sandwich at the final cook-off challenge on Tuesday.

Facebook Live: Bernice Chan reports live as the results of the food truck cook-off are announced

Khan, a Hong Kong-born Muslim, also said he will offer halal-certified Cantonese pastries such as wife cakes and egg tarts to attract international visitors.

Established restaurant chain Chee Kei, which sells wonton noodles, and Quality of Life Product, a subsidiary of popular Chinese herbal product retailer Hung Fook Tong, are also among the first batch of food truck operators.

But it seems making profits is not a priority for these chains.

“It is good for brand-building,” said Chee Kei owner Victor Huang, adding that the food truck, which will be placed in prime spots such as Disneyland and Golden Bauhinia Square, will help bring customers to its existing five outlets in the city. “I don’t expect (the food truck) to generate a profit soon,” he admitted.

Infographic: the 5 rules for Hong Kong’s food trucks

The two-year food truck plan, heralded in Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah’s budget last year as a way to boost tourism, will allow 16 trucks to run in eight districts. The selected applicants will soon have to equip their vehicles and apply for the relevant licences such as the vehicle registration, the vehicle licence and the food factory licence. They also need to sign necessary pacts with the venues at which the trucks are to operate, according to the Tourism Commission, which is tasked with implementing the plan.

“This is certainly not an end, but the beginning of the food truck legacy in Hong Kong,” Simon Chung, chief executive of the Hong Kong Food Truck Association, said. He had assisted 11 members in applying for the scheme and five of them won.

But Chung said many problems still need to be tackled, urging the government to give clearer instructions to operators.

At the same time, the city saw a pick-up in July visitor numbers amid the persisting tourism downturn, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Greg So Kam-leung told reporters at the food truck press conference yesterday. He said mounting safety concerns in popular tourist destinations and appreciation of currencies in nearby regions had helped Hong Kong gain some tourists this month.

In the first 15 days of this month, overall visitor arrivals increased 5.3 per cent over the same period last year, boosted by the 11.3 per cent jump in the number of international visitors.

But visitor figures in July still dipped 1.7 per cent compared with the same period last year.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Taste of success for food truck winners
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