Ningbo brand brings local flavors to Hong Kong airport

Travelers shop at a Yong's Gourmet store at Hong Kong International Airport. [Photo/Yongpai app]

Ningbo-based food brand Yong's Gourmet has opened two stores at Hong Kong International Airport, bringing traditional local flavors to international travelers.

The stores, which opened on Aug 10, are located in key commercial areas of the airport, serving business travelers, transit passengers and families. More than half of the visitors are overseas travelers.

With more than 400 products on offer, the stores feature Ningbo specialties such as braised bamboo shoots and dried rice cakes, as well as traditional foods from local heritage brands, handmade pastries, and regional souvenirs.

For some travelers, the stores offer a taste of home. Zhou Zhongqin, a Singaporean-Chinese with roots in Yiwu, Zhejiang province, bought several packs of dried rice cakes during a layover in Hong Kong, saying the familiar flavor brought back fond memories of home. 

The airport stores are part of Ningbo's efforts to expand local brands overseas. The company said the brand carries the cultural memory of Ningbo merchants who traveled around the world and represents an effort to share local traditions through food.

Yong's Gourmet (HK) Co plans to expand the brand to markets including Singapore and Malaysia, while exploring opportunities in Europe and the United States, using Ningbo specialties as a bridge for cultural exchange and global consumer connections.