Hong Kong continues to surge in global rankings for longevity with the latest data showing average life expectancy for women reaching a record 88.7 years in 2025, while that for men has risen to 83.3 years, ahead of Japan and Singapore.
Doing its part to maintain this edge is local company China Tea & Herbalworld, which produces a line of packaged teas designed to reduce chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol, according to Managing Director Paul Kao.
Mr Kao’s father founded the firm in 1948, importing tea leaves from Taiwan and blending them with herbs traditionally known for specific health benefits. The recipes soon found success among the city’s health-conscious consumers and are now stocked by retailers, such as Watsons and Wing On, and in Asian supermarkets and health food shops in Europe and beyond.
Mainland breakthroughs
In early 2025, Mr Kao made a strategic decision to pivot towards the Chinese Mainland and turned to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) to realise his growth ambitions.
His first step was to list products on the HKTDC’s Design Gallery store on JD.com International, where he gained an initial insight into the market’s potential.
The move proved timely. In 2025, the Council launched its E-Commerce Express programme – a coordinated series of initiatives to support SMEs in launching, developing and expanding their e-commerce business. This built on China Tea & Herbalworld’s earlier participation in the HKTDC-organised Hong Kong Pavilion at SIAL Shanghai, a major food and beverage trade fair.
One of the first activities under E-Commerce Express was a market visit to the Shenzhen headquarters of leading e-commerce platforms and service providers, including Alibaba, Meituan and Ant Group, organised by the HKTDC in May last year.
The visit was a turning point. Prior to the mission, the company lacked a clear roadmap for entering the vast mainland online retail market, but meetings with industry experts quickly turned ideas into action plans.
“By participating in the HKTDC study tour, we gained a deeper understanding of mainland consumer trends, e-commerce operations and logistics. This provided a solid foundation for our expansion into cross-border e-commerce,” explained Mr Kao.
Following the tour, the firm set up online shops on major mainland platforms, such as T-Mall, Douyin, WeChat and RedNote, using insights gleaned from organisations such as the Livestreaming Marketing Association and by working with influencers.
Shenzhen base
To meet the demands of mainland shoppers, the business realised it needed a team based in Shenzhen to provide sales support, stay abreast of industry trends and capitalise on key policies, such as the national public health blueprint Healthy China 2030.
Once again, support from the Council proved invaluable. Our Shenzhen office provided personalised support, assisting with scouting office premises, interpreting regulations, business matching, logistics advice and setting up social media accounts.
“The HKTDC helped coordinate with relevant organisations and provided dedicated staff to attend meetings and make introductions. This enabled us to take the right first steps and avoid many unnecessary detours,” noted Mr Kao.
The Council’s Shenzhen office also arranged promotional opportunities, including a pop-up showcase at a local festival, media interviews and a speaking engagement at a networking event.
Back in Hong Kong, the firm took advantage of training sessions organised by the HKTDC. Among the more than 30 e-commerce seminars on offer in 2025, topics such as online enquiries conversion, influencer marketing, business systems and findings from surveys conducted by HKTDC Research were particularly welcomed by SMEs.
Another opportunity came through the HKTDC’s annual Hong Kong Shopping Festival, a month-long series of online promotions held in August to showcase Hong Kong brands and products, while driving sales through product demonstrations, limited-time discounts and exclusive giveaways. The 2025 edition recorded over 100 million online impressions, with participating companies reporting significant boosts in traffic and sales.
Reflecting on his close collaboration with the HKTDC, Mr Kao noted the company has benefited enormously from Hong Kong’s reputation as a premier source of quality goods – a profile carefully crafted by the HKTDC over decades. HKTDC’s efforts, he added, “have significantly boosted the credibility of Hong Kong brands,” citing both online promotions and offline exhibitions.
China Tea & Herbalworld has signed up for the third Hong Kong Shopping Festival in August, during which it will offer a wide range of products on mainland shopping websites, complemented by a vibrant line-up of promotions and special offers.