Commerce minister Greg So said the scheme aimed to boost tourism in locations popular with visitors. Photo: Bruce Yan

Food trucks for Hong Kong: Pilot scheme reveals 12 vehicles in prime locations at Wan Chai, Central, Tsim Sha Tsui, Disneyland

Commerce minister seeks to boost local tourism by featuring the trucks in Wan Chai, Tsim Sha Tsui, Central, Ocean Park and Disneyland

Allen Au-yeungandNikki Sun

Published: 5:15pm, 8 Dec 2015

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Hungry tourists can look forward to trying culinary delights in open areas of the city as the government today unveiled a pilot scheme allowing 12 food trucks to operate in six prime locations for two years to boost tourism.

There were to be two food trucks operating at each of the following locations: Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai; Salisbury Garden and Art Square at Tsim Sha Tsui; the Central harbourfront; Ocean Park; and Hong Kong Disneyland.

Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Greg So Kam-leung said: “We hope the food trucks will increase and diversify Hong Kong’s food choices. They won’t compete with existing restaurants.”

READ MORE: Food trucks for Hong Kong? Restaurant owners back them, but some have doubts

Tsang got the idea for food trucks from the Hollywood film Chef (clockwise from top left). A temporary food truck at Lok Fu Plaza in Lok Fu in August; a food truck owned by Hong Kong's Butcher's Club; and a Bian Dang taiwanese food truck at the Boston Food Truck Showdown. Photos: SCMP Pictures, Felix Wong

In addition to meeting food safety and hygiene standards, the food trucks must “look nice” and “sell creative and high quality culinary delights”, the commerce minister said. A special panel staffed by food experts was assigned to taste the food made by the trucks before they could hit the road.

So added that the food trucks could rotate their locations and that a new mobile app would be created so that the public and tourists could track them.

The start-up cost of running the food truck was estimated to be around HK$600,000.

The government was scheduled to formally advise Hong Kong lawmakers of the pilot scheme next week and it would invite applications early next year.

So said successful applicants could apply for a loan from the Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation for up to HK$300,000 and seek government subsidies aimed to assist small and medium enterprises.

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