“Guo Yutian: Second Generation Successor of Hong Kong’s Kwok Kam Kee Bakery, Reviving a Time-Honored Tradition”

China News Agency, Hong Kong, May 25th, title: Time-honored brand and new classic visit Hong Kong Cheung Chau Bakery Kwok Kam Kee’s second generation successor

China News Agency reporter Han Xingtong

Guo Yutian, the second-generation descendant of Guo Jin Kee, a time-honored bakery that has stood on Cheung Chau Island in Hong Kong for about half a century, is very busy in the week before the Taiping Qingjiao. It was at this time that he accepted the exclusive interview with a reporter from China News Agency. He was wearing a polo shirt with the Kwok Kam Kee logo on it, and he was sitting in front of several baskets of freshly baked Ping An Bao.

This year, the Cheung Chau Taiping Qingjiao will be held from May 23rd to 27th, and the parade will be held on May 26th (Buddha’s birthday). In addition to the jubilant and authentic Floating Colors parade, the highlight of the event is the extremely exciting bun grabbing competition. In order to win the competition, the athletes will try their best to climb up the high-rise buns covered with plastic safety bags, competing to get the safety bag with the highest score. At the same time, the traditional festival of Taiping Qingjiao attracts a large number of local residents and overseas tourists to visit the island every year and taste freshly baked safe buns.

Kwok Kam Kee is famous for making safety bags. At this time every year, it has to prepare about 30,000 safety bags to meet the demand. The traditional white round Ping’an Bao is made of steamed flour. The production process is not complicated. It mainly includes the steps of mixing raw materials, dividing, filling, fermenting and steaming. ) and other flavors, the body of the bag is stamped with the word “Ping An” in red, implying safety and health.

“It is said that during the Qing Dynasty, a plague broke out in Cheung Chau and killed many residents. The residents then made safety buns to worship the gods and sacrifice the souls of the dead.” Guo Yutian grew up in this shop. When his father Guo Jinquan was busy going in and out with his masters, the unique word “Ping An” also penetrated deeply into his heart.

Similar to most of the younger generation who were born and bred in Cheung Chau, Guo Yutian also left the island after successful studies to make a living in the urban area. He has flourished in the financial industry and has a bright future. However, sitting in the sea view office, I always miss my father and the old shop in Cheung Chau. Every Taiping Qingjiao, Guo Yutian will specially ask for annual leave to come back to the store to help.

A few years ago, because my father often made cakes standing up, his health gradually emerged from years of hard work, and both knees underwent surgery, so he had the idea of ​​closing the shop and retiring. “I said it would be better for me to take over, but he disagreed, thinking that this business would not prosper.” Guo Yutian resolutely gave up the high-paying job to take over the family bakery after long consideration, “Because I have a feeling for Guo Jinji and Cheung Chau, ( This decision) has nothing to do with making money, what is important is a sense of inheritance.”

Unlike his parents, who were accustomed to responding to all changes without change, the young Guo Yutian is full of passion and imagination, and cares more about the integration of tradition and innovation. He is constantly thinking about how to build Guo Jin Kee into a brand, and he wants to go out of Cheung Chau Island. Therefore, he tried to cooperate with different companies to launch Ping An bag cultural and creative products, such as pens and key chains. Later, he cooperated with IPs such as Hello Kitty, Pudding Dog, and Spiderman to launch Ping An bags with different colors and patterns, pioneering youth market.

Although these measures have successfully established the brand, at first his father thought he was not doing his job properly, “He is a very traditional person, and he was worried about me at first, thinking that young people do this and that, but now I feel that he is gradually relieved. “Guo Yutian used brand-new products and business models to inject vitality into this traditional old store, transformed it into a modern enterprise, and successfully brought a sense of freshness to strike a balance between new and old customers. Kwok Kam Kee’s products are now available in major supermarkets in Hong Kong and Macau, and Kwok Yu-tin hopes to enter the Southeast Asian market in the future.

While speaking, a new batch of safety bags was born in the dexterous hands of the masters and put into the steamer, followed by a long wait. Taking advantage of this spare time, Guo Yutian took out his 2005 Bun Scrambling Certificate of Merit, “The core of the Taiping Qingjiao is the word ‘Ping An’, and I hope to pass on this craft and bring the blessing of ‘Ping An’ to more people.” Many people.”

Article source: China News Agency
Editor in charge: Yao Sihan