How much would you pay for a premium Hong Kong pineapple bun? Pricey treats at market spark online debate
- Hongkongers weigh in on HK$48 pineapple buns with exotic fillings – later lowered to HK$45 – and HK$30 uniquely flavoured egg tarts being sold at weekend festival
- But Tai On Coffee & Tea Shop defends range of premium treats which it says use high-end imported ingredients such as matcha from Japan and chocolate from France
Just how much would you pay for a chocolate-filled pineapple bun in Hong Kong?
That very Hong Kong question has triggered intense debate among residents online after single pineapple buns and egg tarts, both with filling, were being sold for HK$48 – later lowered to HK$45 – and HK$30, respectively, at a weekend festival in Causeway Bay.
“It still looks like an ordinary pineapple bun no matter how I see it,” one sceptical commenter said on the Reddit-like LIHKG forum.
“It is not an ordinary pineapple bun – it’s a very expensive pineapple bun,” another wrote.
But Tai On Coffee & Tea Shop, which ran the stall, defended the pricing of their premium-range products which are a twist on the traditional version, noting that its egg tarts included unique flavours such as Hong Kong-style milk tea and taro coconut milk with sago, while its pineapple buns were filled with matcha chocolate or white chocolate.
Another staff member at the stall said there was a misunderstanding on Friday as people took pictures of a price tag displayed next to a plain bun on the cabinet, but in fact they would only add the fresh fillings after receiving an order.