More mainland Chinese food and drink chains are coming to Hong Kong, but at what cost?
Chagee, To Teapresso, Green Tea Restaurant – mainland Chinese brands are increasingly using Hong Kong as a platform for global expansion
Hainan coconut chicken hotpot, Chongqing noodles, Ningbo fine dining, Sichuan grass jelly drinks, barbecue chains. Hong Kong’s culinary directory has been expanding when it comes to mainland Chinese brands, not least with the recent opening of milk tea specialist Chagee at K11 Art Mall in the city’s Tsim Sha Tsui neighbourhood.
The brand’s success began in mainland China’s Yunnan province, where it opened its first store in 2017.
In the seven years since, it has grown to more than 5,000 stores – mostly in Southeast Asia, including in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand – with an eye on global expansion.
“[Hong Kong] has been a springboard for mainland enterprises to go global,” said Dr Jimmy Chiang, associate director general of InvestHK, a governmental body responsible for promoting foreign investment in the city.
“Together with its strategic location and international business environment, it makes an ideal place for Chagee to expand globally.”
Another mainland Chinese drinks brand, To Teapresso, known for its China tea lattes, is also making inroads in Hong Kong.