Hongkong

Guide on Specialized Groceries in Hong Kong:

The outlets of Hong Kong’s main supermarket chains Park n Shop and Wellcome are generally sufficient for basic groceries and necessities. However, if you need more specialized products or obscure ingredients, chances are you will need to visit one of Hong Kong’s specialty grocers. For instance Hong Kong has a substantial South Asian population and though Park n Shop and Wellcome do carry some South Asian spices and foods, most South Asians frequent the city’s many South Asian grocery stores that carry a wide range of products and spices that are used in the preparation of South Asian foods.

In Hong Kong, upscale grocers, or gourmet supermarkets as they are known, typically occupy large, prime spaces at popular malls and sell items such as cold cuts, cheeses, finer cuts of meat, herbs and spices, and organic produce. Virtually all of them stock an extensive selection of imported wines, beers and spirits as well. The big gourmet supermarkets like Taste, International, Fusion, Gourmet, Marketplace and Three Sixty are in fact owned and operated by Hong Kong’s two main supermarket chains, Park n Shop and Wellcome. When you shop at any one of these gourmet supermarkets operated by these two chains you can use your loyalty cards like the Park n Shop issued Money Back card. Aside from these big gourmet stores, Hong Kong also has smaller specialty stores and web based gourmet stores that are owned and operated by intrepid entrepreneurs who wish to cater to the ever growing demand for fine, as well as exotic, foods in Hong Kong.

The large gourmet supermarkets like City Super, Great Food Hall, Gourmet and Taste offer a wide array of imported food and products along with in-house bakeries and prepared food counters that offer an assortment of freshly-baked breads, cakes, muffins and pastries as well as meals on the go like sandwiches and salads which are especially popular with working professionals and expats. Most of the gourmet stores in Hong Kong also have the facility to order and/or prepare specialty and seasonal items for you such as Thanksgiving turkeys, Easter eggs and Christmas cakes as well as food hampers (commonly used for gifting) and party platters.

The Hong Kong Dollarsaver magazine, published bi-weekly and distributed free of charge to homes across the city, lists promotions at gourmet supermarkets and other smaller grocers, such as organic farms, importers and delicatessens. Sign up for the magazine at http://www.dollarsaver.com.hk.