Hong Kong's Mister Softee ice cream truck pioneer, Ho King-yuen, dies at 98
Ho King-yuen, a beloved figure in Hong Kong, has passed away at the age of 98. He brought the city its very first ice cream van, delighting countless residents and visitors with sweet treats over the years.
Ho and two friends introduced the first Mister Softee ice cream truck to Hong Kong in 1970, and the vehicles have since become a beloved staple and popular tourist attraction.
More than 20 people queued at one of the ice cream vans on Tuesday afternoon under the Hong Kong Observation Wheel. Most were tourists who had heard about the trucks on mainland Chinese social media platforms, while some residents described the vans as being part of their 'childhood memories'.
'With his experience at Dairy Farm, he imported the first soft ice cream van to Hong Kong from overseas with his friends and founded Mister Softee [here], which brought many precious sweet memories to many generations of Hongkongers and has become a renowned brand in the city,' an obituary published in a local newspaper on Tuesday said.
'He retired at an old age and transferred the business to another company. He then moved to Perth in Western Australia with his family.'
Ice cream that doesn't melt? New discovery means scientists are one step closer
How Mister Softee came to Hong Kong
Mister Softee was founded by William and James Conway in 1956 in Philadelphia. It is one of the largest franchisers of soft ice cream in the United States.
According to media reports, Ho and two other people bought the franchise rights after seeing a park filled with ice cream trucks during a visit to the United Kingdom.
The first Mister Softee truck in Hong Kong opened in a football field in Tsuen Wan with a cup of ice cream costing 50 HK cents, with the business making HK$800 within an hour.
In 2010, the American company reclaimed the franchise rights and the English name of the Hong Kong brand was changed to Mobile Softee.
A family joyfully buying soft ice-cream cones from a Mister Softee ice cream van on a street in Sham Shui Po in May 1995. Photo: SCMP
Memories for locals and tourists alike
The ice cream vans are famous for playing 'The Blue Danube' on repeat and have become a well-known staple in Hong Kong.
The white trucks with their red and blue pattern are also popular photo spots for mainland Chinese tourists.
On a Chinese social media platform, there are more than 10,000 posts discussing where to find the mobile truck, why it is popular and how the ice cream tastes.
Many tourists consider encountering the mobile truck a lucky experience, as it operates without a fixed schedule or location.
'I consider it a lucky day whenever I come across a Mobile Softee truck. It is a well-deserved reward after walking thousands of steps around the city,' one mainland social media user said.
Ice cream chain Baskin-Robbins launches AI lab to develop 'innovative' varieties
In tourist spots such as the Hong Kong Observation Wheel and Tsim Sha Tsui, where the truck frequently stops, its catchy music often acts as a cue for customers to form long queues.
'You can only find this ice cream in Hong Kong and it really showcases the authentic vibe of the city,' said Lili Li, an 18-year-old student who was queuing for ice cream in Central on Tuesday afternoon.
She was visiting the city for the first time with two friends from Xiamen.
Princess Chung, a 30-year-old resident who works in retail, joined the line with two friends before heading to a nearby event.
'When we were kids, we knew the ice cream van was coming when we heard its unique catchy music. I don't know why they stopped playing it,' said Chung, adding she learned about the Ho's passing from the media.
Ho King-yuen's passing marks the end of an era for the city's beloved mobile ice cream treat. Photo: Eugene Lee
Ho King-yuen's life
According to the obituary, Ho died on January 23 in Perth, Australia, and was survived by his wife, children and grandchildren. He was buried in Karrakatta Cemetery on Saturday last week.
Ho lost his father during World War II and dropped out of school at a young age. The oldest among his siblings, Ho had to take on the responsibility of being the carer for his younger brothers and sisters and worked several jobs to support them.
He later took up a major position at Dairy Farm – later rebranded as DFI Retail Group – while working a part-time job at the Hong Kong Jockey Club. He also became an auxiliary police officer and rose to the rank of inspector.
His elder daughter is a practising lawyer and his second son is an engineer.
According to the obituary, Ho had learned martial arts when he was young. He also loved Cantonese opera, Chinese literature and poetry, and could recite many famous works.
'Ho was always keen to help others and eager to help people to achieve their goals. He was a well-regarded man. He helped many of his colleagues and helped them to settle down in Australia,' the obituary read.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTHK
6 hours ago
- RTHK
Ombudsman probes medical device loan service quality
Ombudsman probes medical device loan service quality The Ombudsman says the Hospital Authority's loan arrangements may cause inconvenience to patients. Photo courtesy of Information Services Department The Ombudsman on Tuesday said it launched an investigation into the Hospital Authority's assistive device loan service. Jack Chan said the service is beneficial to the public, but data has shown that procedures for borrowing and returning such devices are "rather cumbersome and overly stringent". For instance, when an item is returned, the one who pays the deposit has to bring along the receipt in order to receive a refund in person, and others cannot do so on their behalf. Moreover, a refund will not be granted if there is no receipt. "The office has noted that the Hospital Authority's current loan arrangements may cause varying degrees of inconvenience to patients and their families and carers," a statement read. "Given the significant number of borrowers and a deposit as high as HK$3,500 for each assistive device, denying refunds due to missing receipts would not only lead to conflicts but also imposes a financial burden on patients and their families." The public can submit their views on the issue by July 10.
RTHK
7 hours ago
- RTHK
Value of taxi licences 'is in exclusive rights'
Value of taxi licences 'is in exclusive rights' Amid calls for the government to buy back taxi licences for HK$5 million each, John Lee says they give cabbies such rights as accessibility to taxi stands. File photo: RTHK Taxi licences have all along given cabbies "exclusive rights" to operate, Chief Executive John Lee said on Tuesday in response to a proposal from the trade for the government to consider repurchasing licenses that it said have depreciated in value. Some within the taxi industry are calling on the administration to buy back licences for HK$5 million each, saying their value had dropped due to competition from online ride-hailing services. When asked about the suggestion, Lee said the administration has to move with caution where public money is concerned and urged the taxi sector to improve the quality of services rendered amid "a lot of voices and opinions" about cabbies not reaching standards expected. He went on to say that the licences allowed the sector to have "privileges" in operating the vehicles, such as the use of taxi stands and the right to pick up passengers in designated restricted areas and from the street. "These are the privileges granted to taxis under the relevant taxi licences," Lee said. "That's why there's a [direct] return from taxi licences, and taxi operators have been making a profit over a prolonged period with taxi licences." Lee said online ride-hailing was an "irreversible" global trend and that the government is carrying out a study on establishing a regulatory framework for such platforms to specify what type of point-to-point transfer will be considered illegal. "The Transport and Logistics Bureau is working hard and studying all details in relation to the legal framework," he said. "The details will eventually be announced. "I hope that, by then, the public and the Legislative Council will debate all these issues fully so that we can come up with a proper regulatory framework for online ride-hailing platforms and services."
HKFP
7 hours ago
- HKFP
Hong Kong leader defends new national security conditions for restaurant licence
Hong Kong leader John Lee has defended new national security conditions for licences issued to restaurants and other food and entertainment-related businesses. Speaking at a weekly press conference on Tuesday, the chief executive described the new conditions as 'appropriate and the right thing to do.' The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) is bound by law to safeguard national security, he said, and the 'offending conduct' against national security is 'clearly stated' in the conditions. Lee shrugged off worries raised by some businesses in the city that they may run afoul of the law unwittingly. 'Offending conduct means any offence that endangers national security, or acts and events that are contrary to national security and public interest in Hong Kong. It is very clear,' he said in Cantonese. 'Security is the foundation for development, and we will continue to revamp the laws and the mechanisms of safeguarding national security, he added. FEHD letter Local media reported on Monday that since the end of May, restaurants, entertainment premises, and other businesses had received a letter from the FEHD. According to the FEHD letter, if business licence holders and 'related persons' engage in 'offending conduct' against national security or public interest, authorities could revoke their licence. 'Related persons' include directors, management, employees, agents, and subcontractors, the letter read. One restaurant owner told HKFP on Monday that both of his eateries received the FEHD's letter, postmarked Thursday, May 30. Some eatery owners told Ming Pao that they feared the new conditions were too vague and that they could lose their licence over false allegations. Lee said on Tuesday that the conditions also applied to licences for stalls in Chinese New Year markets. Every Chinese citizen is obliged to safeguard national security, including residents of Hong Kong, he said, citing China's constitution. The government is bound to protect national security, the chief executive added, citing the Beijing-imposed national security law and the homegrown Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, known locally as Article 23. Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong's mini-constitution in June 2020 following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts – broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure. The move gave police sweeping new powers and led to hundreds of arrests amid new legal precedents, while dozens of civil society groups disappeared. The authorities say it restored stability and peace to the city, rejecting criticism from trade partners, the UN and NGOs.
