Hong Kong's Ocean Empire congee chain shuts down all restaurants after 33 years
A popular 33-year-old congee restaurant chain has announced the closure of all its locations due to worsening operating and financial conditions, joining a growing wave of shop shutdowns in Hong Kong.
Ocean Empire Food Shop, held by Ocean Empire International Limited, informed its staff members of its decision in a letter on Wednesday night.
'The management regrettably decided to terminate all its business operations and will close down all its shops and offices on [Wednesday] due to worsening operating environment and the company's deteriorating financial situation, among other factors,' the company's board said.
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'With the termination of the business, the company will subsequently proceed with liquidation by way of voluntary winding up by creditors.'
The board also said that employment contracts ended on Wednesday and people could make claims over outstanding wages, payment in lieu of notice, accrued annual leave and severance pay. They could also ask the Labour Department about claim matters.
Founded in 1992, Ocean Empire was known for its Cantonese congees, as well as Chinese fried dough sticks and rice noodle rolls, dishes typically served in a Chinese-style breakfast.
The company, claiming to be Hong Kong's first congee chain, had more than 30 branches at its peak, but was left with just seven, including those in Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, Kwun Tong, Mei Foo and Fanling.
A Facebook user, who claimed to be working at the chain, posted a photo of himself and other employees at the entrance of one of the outlets, with a caption that said: 'Staying until the last moment of Ocean Empire.'
Simon Wong Ka-wo, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, said on Thursday that although the chain had adjusted its strategy in recent years, such as introducing instant soup dumplings, it ultimately had to shut down due to fierce competition and the trend of Hongkongers travelling north across the border for dining experiences.
'Our catering industry is facing challenges because Hongkongers are not staying in the city, especially during holidays. Additionally, spending power from mainland tourists has lessened, while operational costs for restaurants, including rent and salaries, remain high,' said Wong.
He also noticed that many mainland catering companies had started expanding their operations in Hong Kong, causing some local traditional food businesses to face more intense competition.
Wong noted that the overall business volume of the catering industry was still down about 10 to 15 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels, although a slight increase was observed during the recent Labour Day 'golden week' holiday. He suggested that local restaurants should adopt more creative strategies and consider enhancing promotions on Chinese social media platforms.
Hong Kong has experienced an increasing trend of firms closing down since 2022. Latest official data also showed that the number of licensed restaurants in the city had dropped year on year for the first time in six years.
According to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, 17,154 restaurant licences were valid as of the end of April, a drop of 255 from the same month last year. A comparison of licence numbers revealed 2,034 restaurants closed in the past year, while only 1,779 were newly issued.
Analysts attributed the decline partly to the increasingly popular trend of Hong Kong residents travelling to mainland China for dining and consumption, and the growing preference of inbound visitors for light refreshments and street snacks.
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