Made in Hong Kong: The Best Local Artisan Food Brands

We just love local food products. The Made in Hong Kong mark means a great deal to Green Queen, who is a proud born and raised Hong Konger herself. There’s something so comforting about eating a product made lovingly in small batches by someone that you can meet and talk to. It’s the closest thing to making the food yourself, really. We are all so busy and eating healthy can be a challenge so it’s great to have options that make your life easier.

In that past we have shared where to find the best nut butters, the best sourdough bread, the best healthy baked goods and the best granola…but we wanted to showcase many of the other food artisans in the city who are creating some wonderful products right here in the +852. Below, we list some of our favorite food artisans and their products, many of which are always in our fridge/pantry. Did we mention all of them can be ordered online? You’re welcome.

Editor’s Note: all the food products below are made locally in a licensed food factory/kitchen. 

Divine Marinade

Another easy dinner you can make when you’re having  hectic week? Divine Marinade! Simply marinate meat or veg of your choice in one of their two marinade options, Korean Spicy for those who like things hot and Traditional Korean BBQ & Bulgogi for sweeter finish (goes great with beef) or just steam some brown rice and veg and eat it with the savory-spicy-sweet Gochu Jang aka Korean Spicy Paste or some of their sesame seed inflected Korean Dipping Soy. We always have these on hand in our fridge to give whatever we’re having just a little extra flavor intensity.

Foodcraft

Chef Shima is the healthful force behind Foodcraft and we enjoy many of her mostly  creations but we really want to highlight here is her range of super creamy and delicious coconut yogurts, made from coconut meat and fermented coconut milk. You get all the probiotic rich goodness of regular yogurt but without the allergens (no soy, so dairy, no gluten).The yogurts come in plain, mango, kumquat, strawberry and vanilla so there is something for everyone. Ever since college, we’ve come to believe that yogurt and granola is basically a complete meal, and an ideal nutritious breakfast when you are in a rush, so a few tubs of this stuff in the fridge is a must.

Order online here. 

FORMe Honey

For throat soothing, tea sweetening and allergy help, locally harvested seasonal honey is key in your home pantry. We are fans of FORMe Honey, a local outfit that bottles the freshest bee’s nectar around and then infuses them with clever combinations like Vanilla Lavender, Lemon Ginger, Cinnamon Turmeric and Pickled Rose Jujube.

Order online here. 

Il Mattarello

Il Mattarello co-founder  Filippo hails from the Emilio-Romagna region of Italy so he knows a thing or two about quality pasta (spaghetti bolognese and parmigiano-reggiano are two of the many gastronomical treasures from this special place). He and his wife provide an impressive array of handcrafted products including over 10 kinds each of raviolis and cappelletti as well as spaghetti, fettuccine, lasagna sheets and gluten-free pasta, plus ready to eat tomato sauce (3 flavors) and pesto (2 types). Il Mattarello guarantees that orders are made fresh when you place the order. This is the perfect gourmet dinner solution for busy Hong Kongers!

Order online here.

Lil Paddy’s Pickle

New kid on the block Lil Paddy’s Pickle is making waves with its vegan-friendly traditional Indian-style pickle in two flavorful, spice-filled varieties: apple and eggplant, which match perfectly with basically everything, from cheese plates to curries to sandwiches. If you are looking for the ultimate simple meal, how about steamed brown rice noodles with a few spoonfuls of Paddy’s. Oh yeah…

Order online here. 

Nicole’s Kitchen

Malaysian-Chinese Nicole has been cooking since childhood and is the talent behind Nicole’s Kitchen, a wide selection of fruit jams, traditional Chinese sauces & condiments, and fruit teas. All the products are . The jams come in interesting flavor profiles like Pineapple & Kumquat, Mango & Strawberry and Red Wine Figs. If you love cooking Chinese food at home, like we do, you will love the all-natural range of products like Premium XO and Black Bean Garlic Chili. It’s hard to find preservative, coloring and additive-free Chinese condiments, so Nicole Kitchen’s is truly a find.

Order online here.

Quo HK

Want to get your stomach back on track? Have a shot of Quo’s raw probiotic-rich coconut water kefir. Made with nothing but coconut water, filtered water and water kefir grains, this health drink is the perfect antidote to a busy Hong Kong life. It’s a great alternative to supermarket kefirs because it’s dairy-free and it’s fresh. When it comes to probiotic drinks, fresh is definitely best. We also love that if you order the coconut water kefir in glass bottles, they will replace them on every re-order, thereby helping to keep plastic packaging out of our landfills.

Order online here. 

Raiz The Bar

November 2017 Update: Raiz The Bar has now shut down operations.

Raiz The Bar has literally raised the bar when it comes to chocolate, giving us all an avenue of healthy indulgence.  The bars are certified organic, vegan, paleo and handcrafted in their Hong Kong factory in small batches from scratch (they conch, they winnow, they temper)  from ethically sourced whole cacao beans. The bars are made with coconut sugar, ensuring they are low GI and won’t raise your blood sugar and they came in gorgeous superfood flavours with ingredients like acai, lavender, chaga mushroom and mulberry. Not a day goes by without us Green Queen gals having a few squares of one of their bars.

Read the whole Raiz The Bar story here and watch Green Queen founder Sonalie Figueiras interview Raiz The Bar founder chef Priscilla here.

Order online here.

Schragels

Half-New-Yorker & Half-Hong-Konger Rebecca grew up with bagels at her father’s Jewish deli. We’re talking proper, New York style bagels: kettle-boiled, hand-rolled and stone-baked. A couple of years ago, she decided to bring that tradition to our fair city and thank goodness for that. Thanks to Schragels, you can order the perfect brunch spread: bagels (choose from Plain, Sesame, Onion, Everything, Cinnamon & Raisin) and homemade cream cheese schmears (plain, scallion, honey & pecan).

Order online here. 

Sour Times Dairy Company

Fresh yogurt always feel so luxurious and the folks at Sour Times Dairy Company don’t disappoint. Their creamy, tangy made to order yogurts have nothing but milk and a yogurt starter: no thickeners, no stabilizers and no artificial flavorings to be seen. Next time you visit a supermarket, see if you can find even one tub of yogurt with a label that clean, we dare you! Sour Times has loads of fun seasonal flavors like Lime & Basil and Black Sesame & Yuzu to expand your yogurt horizons, so it’s worth checking back often.

Order online here. 

Taboocha

Soda is hard to give up. But kombucha can help. This naturally fizzy fermented tea beverage that hails from thousands of years ago in China has made a huge comeback and we are lucky to have our own ‘bucha brewers, the fabulous Lam sisters, Lisa & Patricia. Together they created Taboocha, a line of infused kombucha with a variety of teas and flavours such as Jasmine Green Tea and Lime Basil Black Tea. At our house, our motto is a bottle of Taboocha a day keeps the stomach cramps away! We simply love Taboocha and also use it for a healthier version of cocktail hour!

Order online here. 

Wild Mylk

Back in her native Puerto Rico, iced desserts are a national past-time, so mom of three Laura is passionate about creating quality ice cream. When she converted her family to a dairy-free and gluten-free due to intolerances, she became even more devoted to created delicious frozen concoctions, hence the launch of Wild Mylk: hand-churned ice cream made with coconut and cashew cream that tastes even better than the real thing. We are totally obsessed with their vegan chocolate chip cookie dough, though all the flavours, which change seasonally, are seriously yum!

Order online here. 

Images courtesy of: Food photograph designed by Valeria_aksakova – Freepik.com (lead photo), Divine Marinade, Foodcraft, ForMe Honey, Il Mattarello, Lil Paddy’s Pickle, Nicole’s Kitchen, Quo HK, Raiz The Bar, Schragels, Sour Times Dairy Company, Taboocha and Wild Mylk.