Chinese mainland coconut chicken hot pot chain Runseason World Trade Catering Co has opened its first restaurant in Hong Kong.
Located in the city’s shopping district of Causeway Bay, the new restaurant is being seen as a major step in the company's international growth strategy.
"Runseason's decision to establish its foothold in Hong Kong underscores the city as the premier choice for mainland brands to go global,” said Arnold Lau, associate director-general of investment promotion at Invest Hong Kong, the government agency tasked with promoting inward direct investment.
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It also highlights the special administrative region’s unique advantages as a launch pad for food and beverage companies aiming to expand internationally, he added.
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The restaurant will also serve as a regional office and a strategic base for the brand's plan to enter European markets and its global development, according to Runseason’s co-founder, Huang Guangchun.
“Hong Kong's status as an international culinary hub, with its mature market and diverse consumers, makes it the ideal base for Runseason to refine its product offerings, strengthen its supply chain resilience, and enhance its digital services.”
As an international city where the East meets the West, Hong Kong provides an unparalleled opportunity for Runseason to introduce our coconut chicken – a delicacy rooted in Eastern dietary wisdom – to international markets, he said.
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“By leveraging Hong Kong's diverse consumer base and its reputation for culinary excellence, we aim to transform this regional specialty into a global cultural symbol of healthy and sustainable dining," added Huang.
Established in 2009, Runseason is known for sourcing ingredients from its own coconut plantations and Wenchang chicken breeding farms in China’s Hainan province. It currently operates over 20 restaurants across the mainland.
