Fortnum & Mason Makes its Overseas Debut in Hong Kong

From Piccadilly to Hong Kong, Fortnum & Mason brings centuries of food and drink expertise to Asia with its first standalone store in Asia.

Fortnum & Mason (Fortnum’s) has been an icon of British luxury for over three hundred years. Founded in 1707 in Piccadilly of London, the brand is known for its heritage of selling tea, artisan foods and extraordinary gifts such as the hamper and for having served 12 monarchs. For the first time in 312 years, Fortnum’s made its debut and opened its first international flagship in Hong Kong in November 2019.

Fortnum’s products have been sold in Hong Kong through partnering with high-end department store. Ewan Venters, Chief Executive Officer of Fortnum & Mason, said that the encouraging performance was a deciding factor for the brand to come to Hong Kong, “we have traded in Asia for nearly 40 years, and we realise the demand for our products was so strong that we felt it was time to open a new destination flagship shop and restaurant in Hong Kong.”

Hong Kong has a strong base of sophisticated local consumers who are familiar with international brands and welcome cosmopolitan dining culture, coupled with visitors coming to the city from all over the world. Venters remarked, “we are thrilled to be able to offer customers in Hong Kong and from all parts of the world an opportunity to see Fortnum & Mason at its absolute best.”

An important showcase for Asian market

Located at Victoria Dockside, along with the stunning Tsim Sha Tsui’s harbourfront, Fortnum’s flagship store spans across two floors with a total of 7,000 square feet. On the ground floor is a dedicated retail space featuring a wide arrange of products as well as a tea-station for customers to learn and experience its tea products. Upstairs hosts Fortnum’s very own restaurant 181, named after its flagship’s address in Piccadilly, serving modern cuisine including Fortnum’s famous afternoon tea with the breathtaking view of Victoria Harbour setting as the backdrop.

To Venters, Hong Kong is an excellent place for the brand to strengthen its exposure in the Asian market. “We are very passionate about the role that Hong Kong plays as a dining hub in Asia. It’s a fabulous showcase for Asian customers to better understand the brand, as we then start to consider where else within Asia that we might want to expand,” he said.

Carmen Chiu, Regional Managing Director, Asia Pacific, said that a lot of dedication has been put into this very first store of Fortnum’s in Asia. “We want to make sure that we are creating different experiences at every corner of the store,” she said. “Our shop in Hong Kong will become the ultimate destination for local customers and tourists, so we have to ensure that we are delivering a successful story in Hong Kong, and start exploring other opportunities within the region.”

She added that InvestHK has been one of the key advisors throughout their journey of launching its Hong Kong store. “There has been a lot of support and advice from InvestHK, including government regulations, the importations that we need to go through as well as some detailed market intelligence,” she remarked. “Now we have opened the store, this partnership still continues.”