The lack of halal restaurants in Hong Kong and easy access to Muslim-friendly meals remain a stumbling block in the destination’s efforts to court Muslim visitors, and one entrepreneur is hoping to resolve this with ready-to-eat (RTE) halal meals that hotels could serve.
Entrepreneur Robert Chua is distributing Singapore-based Sinstant brand of RTE halal meals in Hong Kong. Adopting modern blast-freeze technology to retain nutrition and quality, these meals are prepared in a halal-certified kitchen setting by reputable chefs – Michelin-awarded and veteran top chefs from Hong Kong and Singapore – who carefully curate food choices.
Chua: RTE halal meals would enable hospitality firms to cater to Muslim guests at a more manageable cost
He added that these RTE options are “genuine” Chinese dishes, so as to encourage Muslim visitors to try local halal food in Hong Kong.
For instance, Sinstant’s mala chicken hotpot is created by Michelin Bib Gourmand chef Ng Kong Kiu while the beef brisket and tendon meal is created by two-star Michelin chef Cheng Kam Fu.
Meals are easy to serve – they only require reheating.
Chua said JW Marriott Hong Kong is his first hotel client. RTE halal meals are offered through room service and at the hotel bar.
He noted that it was an expensive undertaking for hotels and restaurants to establish halal food standards, as they would need to have a separate kitchen. Such RTE halal meals would, therefore, enable hospitality firms to cater to Muslim guests at a more manageable cost.
In the recent Hong Kong Tourism Overview 2024, the Hong Kong Tourism Board expressed a desire to establish the destination as a Muslim-friendly one via halal guidelines, travel glossary, seminars, and practical recommendations. In line with this, the Hong Kong SAR government has been conducting promotions in Gulf Cooperation Council member states. Chua sees this as opportunity for Hong Kong to boost its Muslim tourist arrivals.
The lack of halal restaurants in Hong Kong and easy access to Muslim-friendly meals remain a stumbling block in the destination’s efforts to court Muslim visitors, and one entrepreneur is hoping to resolve this with ready-to-eat (RTE) halal meals that hotels could serve.
Entrepreneur Robert Chua is distributing Singapore-based Sinstant brand of RTE halal meals in Hong Kong. Adopting modern blast-freeze technology to retain nutrition and quality, these meals are prepared in a halal-certified kitchen setting by reputable chefs – Michelin-awarded and veteran top chefs from Hong Kong and Singapore – who carefully curate food choices.
He added that these RTE options are “genuine” Chinese dishes, so as to encourage Muslim visitors to try local halal food in Hong Kong.
For instance, Sinstant’s mala chicken hotpot is created by Michelin Bib Gourmand chef Ng Kong Kiu while the beef brisket and tendon meal is created by two-star Michelin chef Cheng Kam Fu.
Meals are easy to serve – they only require reheating.
Chua said JW Marriott Hong Kong is his first hotel client. RTE halal meals are offered through room service and at the hotel bar.
He noted that it was an expensive undertaking for hotels and restaurants to establish halal food standards, as they would need to have a separate kitchen. Such RTE halal meals would, therefore, enable hospitality firms to cater to Muslim guests at a more manageable cost.
In the recent Hong Kong Tourism Overview 2024, the Hong Kong Tourism Board expressed a desire to establish the destination as a Muslim-friendly one via halal guidelines, travel glossary, seminars, and practical recommendations. In line with this, the Hong Kong SAR government has been conducting promotions in Gulf Cooperation Council member states. Chua sees this as opportunity for Hong Kong to boost its Muslim tourist arrivals.