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Hong Kong Originals: Millennials brew local flavors with enduring spirit
🇭🇰 Hong Kong /Culture & Society

Hong Kong Originals: Millennials brew local flavors with enduring spirit

From Hong Kong Free Press · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Three millennials founded Purelifehk six years ago, aiming to create a new wave of local Hong Kong flavors.
  • They started with a hand-brewed oolong tea, embodying the "Hong Kong spirit of enduring hardship before experiencing sweetness."
  • Despite challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the company has expanded its offerings and survived by reinvesting all income.

Three millennials are carving out a niche in Hong Kong's beverage market with Purelifehk, a brand dedicated to brewing a new wave of local flavors. Andy Lee, Jan Mui, and Adrian Ng, all born in the 1980s, founded the company six years ago with a mission to innovate while honoring the city's spirit.

I can say that, for the many projects we have worked on, we never studied them beforehand.

— Andy LeeDescribing the founders' unconventional approach to starting their business.

Their journey began with a hand-brewed, bottled oolong tea, which encapsulated their motto: "the Hong Kong spirit of enduring hardship before experiencing sweetness." This philosophy guided them as they launched Purelifehk in early 2020, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. For the first two years, the trio handled all aspects of the business, research, development, marketing, manufacturing, and delivery, working without salaries and reinvesting every dollar of income.

We often feel good about an idea, then we look for more information. We don’t really do things out of the belief that they would work someday.

— Andy LeeFurther explaining their process of idea generation and development.

"First the bitter, then the sweet," Andy Lee told HKFP, reflecting their mindset. "We have always had this mindset when we do things." Their initial venture into oolong tea was not born from deep expertise but from a desire to "do something" and challenge established brands in Hong Kong's beverage scene. "We didn’t think too much about whether we would make a fortune. We only felt that it would be better to have something than nothing," said Adrian Ng.

We wanted to mount a challenge to the big brands.

— Adrian NgStating their ambition to compete with established beverage companies.

Six years later, Purelifehk has seen moments of sweetness. The company has grown, expanding its product line to include popular local beverages like milk tea and iced lemon tea, and even venturing into nutritious soups for postpartum care. Their success is partly attributed to a growing consumer appetite for locally made products, especially during the pandemic, and their resilience in navigating market fluctuations and the city's economic shifts.

We didn’t think too much about whether we would make a fortune. We only felt that it would be better to have something than nothing.

— Adrian NgExplaining their initial motivation for starting the business.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hong Kong Free Press in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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