Tours showcase HK brands

December 28, 2025

Time capsule:

A local bakery group opens an experience centre at its Tai Po factory, replicating its first store on Shanghai Street in support of the Government’s “Industrial Brand Tourism” project.

Nostalgic ways:

Tourists experience stir-frying lotus seed paste during a tour of the centre.

Baking fun:

Tourists try their hand at making almond cakes during the tour.

Creating memories:

Tourist Ms Zhang (second right) says making almond cakes was a meaningful experience.

Unique experience:

Tourist Mr Lin says he usually goes sightseeing and rarely visits factories, so this tour was interesting for him.

Promoting craftmanship:

Kee Wah Bakery Executive Director Karlson Wong says through “Industrial Brand Tourism”, more people will get to know the brand and the traditional pastries of Hong Kong.

Business boom:

Travel Industry Council Executive Director Fanny Yeung points out that the tours include a shopping component, which contributes to boosting the local economy.

Download Video| Transcript

Voiceover: 
Step back in time to a 1950s grocery store where the product packaging is full of nostalgic charm, pastries are priced at just $0.68 and you can purchase a mooncake for $2. This is an experience centre set up by a local bakery group at its Tai Po factory, replicating its first store on Shanghai Street. It was built in support of the Government's “Industrial Brand Tourism” project and took about six months to set up.

In early December, the experience centre welcomed its first tour group, which enjoyed taking photographs inside the store. Later, the docent explains the various exhibits in the centre, such as simulating baking pastries using an oil drum during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, and sharing the story of the group’s transformation from a grocery store to a bakery. 

Tourists can also experience stir-frying lotus seed paste and feel the weight of traditional wedding cakes as well as become pastry chefs by making almond cakes during the tour. Can you spot the classic advertisement poster for the mooncake installment plan?

Tourist Ms Zhang (Translation):
Before coming to Hong Kong, I saw some videos on social media about the scenery and activities in Hong Kong. But today, experiencing making almond cakes was really good and meaningful. If I visit Hong Kong again, I will definitely participate in similar activities.

Tourist Mr Lin (Translation):
We were introduced to the story of the brand, and got to experience its production process. We usually travel to see the sights, but we rarely visit factories. This was our first time doing that and I found it really interesting.

Voiceover: 
The bakery group hopes that through “Industrial Brand Tourism”, more people will get to know the brand and the traditional pastries of Hong Kong.

Kee Wah Bakery Executive Director Karlson Wong: 
With this opportunity, we thought it is just very much in line with what we have been trying to do, through our own respective platforms and channels, and so with this push, I think it is a great opportunity and another platform for us to help tell that story and engage with more tourists that are visiting Hong Kong.

Our vision of the company is for the world to know and to love our Hong Kong traditional pastry, confectionary products, because we see there are so many food products from around the world, from different countries that have spread to all corners of the world, and so our hope is that our Hong Kong's own traditional products can also spread to all corners of the world, and that people would love and enjoy these products.

Voiceover: 
The “Industrial Brand Tourism” project is implemented by the Travel Industry Council to showcase the city’s industrial brand stories through tours organised by the travel trade, creating hotspots for visitors to tour, experience and shop.

The council believes the project embodies the Government’s goal of “tourism is everywhere” and helps tell the world the good stories of Hong Kong.

The trial phase will continue until March next year, with the possibility of more brands being introduced by then.

Travel Industry Council Executive Director Fanny Yeung: 
This is not only a visit, not only (to) see (it with) your (own) eyes, but this is also a kind of experience in which they can (get) involved into it, there is a workshop, it also includes a shopping element, because after you visit the factory, (there are some of) their products or there are some unique products only available for sale in their factory. So, this one is also helping the economy to have more shopping.

These tourists, they come to Hong Kong to experience this industrial tourism. It does not mean that they will not go to the traditional spots or sightseeing spots, so definitely it will prolong their stay in Hong Kong. Right now, we have three brands that are already offering these kind of visits. They are Yakult, Kee Wah and also Lee Kum Kee.

This is the trial period which is until March, so we will review, but definitely, we are still engaging with other brands.

Imagine being able to step back in time to a 1950s grocery store where the product packaging is full of nostalgic charm, pastries are priced at just $0.68 and you can purchase a mooncake for $2.

A local bakery group has turned this into reality by opening an experience centre at its Tai Po factory, replicating its first store on Shanghai Street. It was built in support of the Government's “Industrial Brand Tourism” project and took about six months to set up.

Memorable experience

In early December, the experience centre welcomed its first tour group. The docent explained the various exhibits in the centre, such as simulating baking pastries using an oil drum during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, and sharing the story of the group’s transformation from a grocery store to a bakery.

Tourists also experienced stir-frying lotus seed paste and felt the weight of traditional wedding cakes as well as became pastry chefs by making almond cakes during the tour.

“Today, experiencing making almond cakes was really good and meaningful. If I visit Hong Kong again, I will definitely participate in similar activities,” tourist Ms Zhang said.

Another tourist Mr Lin remarked: “We usually travel to see the sights, but we rarely visit factories. This was our first time doing that, and I found it really interesting.”

Promoting craftmanship

Kee Wah Bakery Executive Director Karlson Wong said that through “Industrial Brand Tourism”, more people will get to know the brand and the traditional pastries of Hong Kong.

“It is a great opportunity and another platform for us to help tell that story and engage with more tourists that are visiting Hong Kong,” he explained. “Our vision for the company is for the world to know and to love our Hong Kong traditional pastry and confectionery products. Our hope is that our Hong Kong's own traditional products can also spread to all corners of the world.”

Economy boost

The “Industrial Brand Tourism” project is implemented by the Travel Industry Council to showcase the city’s industrial brand stories through tours organised by the travel trade, creating hotspots for visitors to tour, experience and shop. The council believes the project embodies the Government’s goal of “tourism is everywhere” and helps tell the world the good stories of Hong Kong.

The council’s Executive Director Fanny Yeung pointed out that the tours include a shopping component, allowing visitors to purchase exclusive products available only at the factory, which contributes to boosting the local economy.

She added that while tourists come to Hong Kong to experience “Industrial Brand Tourism”, they will also visit the traditional sightseeing spots. This helps to prolong their stay in Hong Kong.

Currently, brands including Yakult, Kee Wah and Lee Kum Kee are participating in the project. Ms Yeung revealed that the trial phase will continue until March next year, with the possibility of more brands being introduced by then.