Beauty
Hong Kong firms adopt island style
Bringing a world of health home
Mainland China presents massive domestic sales opportunities. The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) led Hong Kong companies to participate in the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai last year and helped Hong Kong companies find partners to introduce organic and healthy foods from countries along the Belt and Road to the mainland market.
Cosmetics start-up hits sweet spot
Social-distancing rules led to many nail salons closing during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting two university classmates to step out of their comfort zones and invest a significant sum in starting up a home-based nail art business. The duo design and produce relatively environmentally friendly and easy-to-use nail art stickers that allow even novices to easily decorate their own nails.
Herbal tea shop thinks big
Kung Wo Tong has been a well-established business for more than 100 years in Hong Kong. The company uses secret recipes passed down from the Qing dynasty to produce a herbal jelly using Guiling paste. The founder's granddaughter started her own business in recent years with her own brand Gui Ling Yuan Fang, aiming to modernise Hong Kong’s herbal tea culture and promote the concept of health preservation to a younger consumer base.
New fitness concept gains ground
Two of the many issues created by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting control measures were limited opportunities for exercise, especially indoors, and idle space in commercial buildings. Hong Kong entrepreneur Dinesh Nihalchand has come up with what he believes is a future-proof solution for the fitness business that offers contactless personal training while optimising under-utilised real-estate assets at the same time.
August fairs bring it home
The HKTDC Food Expo, HKTDC Home Delights Expo, HKTDC Beauty & Wellness Expo and HKTDC Hong Kong International Tea Fair will run from 11-15 August at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). The four home-focused fairs, jointly themed "Living a New Style", will present nearly 1,000 exhibitors and feature a wide array of global gourmet foods and various new products.
Scents and sensibility
During the COVID-19 pandemic, bottles of hand sanitiser have become ubiquitous in Hong Kong homes, offices and handbags. Sales have surged since the outbreak began in early 2020 and the Asia-Pacific hand sanitiser market is expected to expand at a 14.4% compound annual growth rate between 2020 and 2026, according to KBV Research.
Modern twist on mental health
In a fraught world, nearly four in 10 adults said they had experienced worry (40%) or stress (40%) according to last year’s Gallup Global Emotions Report. The United Nations has warned that a global mental health crisis is looming as economic turmoil, isolation and uncertainty all contribute to psychological distress. In Hong Kong, 61% of adults suffer from poor mental well-being according to a recent study by mental health charity MIND. The same study found that 60% of Hongkongers do not know where to seek help regarding mental health issues other than hospitals, and 74% of mental health sufferers do not seek any form of professional treatment.
Property firms look to elderly care
Across Mainland China, an increasing number of property‑management companies are prioritising a move into the elderly care services sector. This trend was particularly in evidence at the most recent edition of the China International Silver Industry Exhibition. The Guangzhou‑hosted event saw more than 300 businesses showcasing a wide range of elder‑oriented facilities, including intelligent elderly care equipment and rehabilitation care products. Notably, many companies were offering products and services specifically designed to help property‑management companies transition into the elderly care sector.
Driving diversity in modelling
Noting that advertising campaigns often feature unrealistically shaped models, Hong Kong Model Camp seeks to encourage clients to accept themselves for who they are. The local start-up’s clients range from wannabe models to professionals keen to act more confidently in meetings.
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