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Cover Story

Price increase hasn’t diminished Mainland catering brand appeal in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong people are generous when consuming in the Mainland. They not only “eat”, “play”, and
“shop” but also bring back various food items to Hong Kong. This trend has motivated numerous
Mainland chain brands to expand into the Hong Kong market, encompassing a wide range of
options such as regular meal, hotpot, fast food, snacks, teas, and even bakeries. In 2023 alone, 17
catering brands opened their first stores in the city. Among those brands, Taier Chinese Sauerkraut
Fish opened four branch stores in succession with the assistance of InvestHK. Taier’s parent
company, Jiumaojiu International Holdings Limited, has planned to establish 15 to 20 stores in Hong
Kong. Bao’s Pastry ‒ one of the so-called “three must-buys in the Mainland” ‒ is also expected to
enter Hong Kong in the first half of this year.
Reasonable food prices and good service are the main reasons why Hong Kong people are attracted
northward for food hunting. However, when the Mainland catering brands enter Hong Kong, they
cannot avoid the city’s high rent and labour costs, leading to a significant increase in prices. At Yang
Guo Fu Mala Tang in Central, for example, the food ingredients are priced at HK$19.8 for 100 grams,
which is nearly three times higher than in the Mainland; meanwhile, the price of Xita Lao Tai Tai Grill
is also about double that in the Mainland.
Despite the increased prices, Hong Kong’s enthusiasm for Mainland catering brands has not
dampened. The newly opened branch of Taier Chinese Sauerkraut Fish in Sha Tin New Town Plaza
豐富中餐細分市場 帶動本地餐飲業提升服務 boasts a long queue every night, and the bustling scene is no different from the branch in
Shenzhen’s Link CentralWalk. This indicates that, thanks to established brand influence, actual price
實際上，內地品牌來港擴張已非新鮮事。「海底撈火鍋」、「湊 has become a secondary factor for consumers. It takes time and money to travel north, so if
consumers can enjoy the same service and quality of food in the Hong Kong branches, many are
湊火鍋」、「絕味」、「喜茶」等內地餐飲品牌早在幾年前已進 willing to accept the higher ‒ though still reasonable ‒ price.
駐香港，迅速打開本地市場並在各區擴展分店。如今，隨着新一
輪內地知名餐飲品牌的入駐，將進一步豐富中餐的細分市場，給 Enriching the Chinese food market and driving service enhancement in the
予消費者更多選擇，帶動本地消費。同時，原已具影響力的內地 local catering industry
餐飲來港，必然會加劇本地餐飲市場的競爭，或許能鞭策香港餐 The expansion of Mainland brands into Hong Kong is not a new phenomenon. Haidilao Hotpot, Cou
飲品牌改變現狀，以留住顧客。 Cou Hot Pot, Jue Wei, and Heytea had already entered the Hong Kong market a few years ago,
rapidly establishing a presence and opening branches in various districts. The current influx of
well-known Mainland catering brands will further enrich the market for segmented Chinese cuisine,
例如，本地餐飲業的服務態度常遭人詬病，通關後兩地交通便 providing consumers with more choices and driving local consumption. At the same time, the arrival
of influential Mainland brands in Hong Kong will inevitably intensify market competition, prompting
捷，大批北上港人不僅享受到了更具性價比的食物，也感受到了 local catering brands to change the status quo to retain customers.
內地食肆如沐春風的服務。優良的服務，相信是內地餐飲企業來 For instance, the local catering industry is often criticised for staff’s service attitude. A large number
港的信心來源之一，亦能促進本地餐飲業的良性競爭，推升行業 of Hong Kong people who travel northbound appreciate not only the more cost-effective food but
整體服務水平。 also the warmth and welcoming service provided by Mainland restaurants. The arrival of Mainland
catering enterprises, known for their excellent service, is expected to expedite the improvement and
elevation of the overall service standards within the local catering industry.
視香港為國際化跳板 布局更大市場 Hong Kong as an international springboard to expand the market layout

從戰略角度來看，內地餐飲紛紛來港的一個重要原因，是原有的 From a strategic perspective, one important reason for the influx of Mainland catering
內地市場趨向飽和，需要向外尋求新市場。據業界人士分析，這 establishments into Hong Kong is saturation in the Mainland market. According to industry
experts, these dining brands are converging in Hong Kong because they not only see potential
些餐飲品牌今年不約而同地赴港「開荒」，除了看好香港市場， in the Hong Kong market but also value the city’s superior international status. Using Hong Kong
其實更看重香港優越的國際地位，希望透過香港這個平台提升知 as a platform, they hope to enhance their brand visibility and expand into overseas markets. This
名度，繼而進軍海外市場；從另一角度看，反映他們對香港經濟 approach also reflects their confidence in Hong Kong’s economic prospects and business
前景和營商環境充滿信心，同時也意味着在投資者眼中，香港作 environment. It shows that the value of Hong Kong as a “super connector” remains unchanged
in the eyes of investors.
為「超級聯繫人」的價值始終不變。
It is worth noting that most of the Mainland catering brands that entered Hong Kong last year were
Guangdong-based companies. These companies, positioned adjacent to Hong Kong and Macau,
were familiar with the Hong Kong market. Non-Guangdong-based enterprises, such as MIXUE Ice
值得留意的是，去年進駐香港的內地餐飲品牌，大多是廣東企 Cream & Tea, have also established supply chains in Guangdong, indicating their preparations to
業，毗鄰港澳，對香港市場更為熟悉，而非廣東企業如蜜雪冰 enter the Hong Kong market. Over the past five years since the release of the “Outline Development
城，也在廣東省設立了供應鏈公司，為打入香港市場做足了準 Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area”, there has been a deepening of
economic and trade cooperation among the three regions. The movement of Mainland catering
備。在《粵港澳大灣區發展規劃綱要》發布這5年間，三地的經 brands to Hong Kong can be seen as a manifestation of the strengthening bonds within the Greater
貿合作不斷深化，由昔日港資餐飲品牌去內地擴張、佈局供應鏈 Bay Area.
及店鋪版圖，到如今內地品牌來港尋求資本、探索國際化的機
會，這正是大灣區城市融合的一個真實寫照。

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