Young at heart: How HK brands are revitalising the mooncake experience

As the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, Hong Kong brands are reimagining mooncakes and their packaging to appeal to younger generations.

For example, Hong Kong's Chinese fine-dining restaurant Duddell’s collaborated with Hong Chong Ip, co-founder of creative firm Mo-Design, to create a modern packaging concept inspired by traditional Chinese craftsmanship such as "Mother-of-Pearl Inlay” and the Mid-Autumn Festival mascot “Jade Rabbit”.

By incorporating contemporary colours and pearlescent tones, this design merges heritage with a contemporary aesthetic, resonating with younger demographics who appreciate a blend of tradition and modernity, said Duddell’s spokesperson.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong-based food, beverage and restaurant chain Maxim’s has launched new products to attract younger audience including “MX Lava Black Truffle Custard Mooncake” and the elegant “MX Lava Assorted Mooncake”.

Besides a variety of flavours, special attention is given to product design, including licensed cartoon mooncakes “‘MINIONS’ lotus seed paste mooncake with egg yolk”, said Eve Leung, head of marketing, branded products, Maxim’s Group.

“The gift box is full of whimsy. When the light is turned on and the handle is rotated, six different Minions characters hidden in the slides will be unveiled, incredibly entertaining and captivating the hearts of youngsters and children," Leung added.

Grand Hyatt Hong Kong also takes pride in unveiling a new mooncake packaging design inspired by the floral and Chinese motifs of its Chinese restaurant One Harbour Road, according to Eva Kwok, director of marketing and communications, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong.

“This design features the iconic arch at the restaurant, reminiscent of the splendor and elegance of a Taipan’s mansion in the 1930s. The choice of pastel pink sets it apart from traditional mooncake packaging, aiming to evoke feelings of warmth and joy,” she said.

Do young people care about the tradition?

While younger audiences may not share the same deep emotional attachment to traditional customs such as the Mid-Autumn Festival and mooncakes as older generations do, as a Cantonese restaurant, Duddell’s prioritises these traditions because they are integral to its restaurant philosophy.

“Despite our embrace of modernity and creativity, we place immense value on preserving and passing down traditions to younger generations, aligning with our approach to Cantonese cuisine,” said the spokesperson.

Through incorporating traditional elements with contemporary twists into its mooncake offerings, Duddell’s not only attracts younger audiences seeking novel experiences but also showcases our commitment to honouring our cultural legacy while adapting to modern preferences.

“We hope to educate younger audiences about the importance of traditions, encouraging them to appreciate and continue these practices in the future.”

To tap in the younger generation, Maxim’s Leung believes it is essential for the brand to innovate and stay youthful and vibrant, capturing the joy and happiness of the festival by continuously injecting new elements into the flavour, packaging and promotion.

Meanwhile, Grand Hyatt’s Kwok believes that Gen Zs do not only uphold traditional Chinese customs by sharing mooncakes but also embrace new experiences with their loved ones.

“These mooncakes also make thoughtful gifts for business partners and clients, we also offer the option to personalise messages or include company logos for bulk orders,” she added.

Beyond a seasonal offering

True enough, brands need to continuously innovate and wow consumers to ensure brand longevity.

To extend beyond being just a seasonal offering, Duddell’s has designed a stylish LED lantern mooncake packaging in a way that it can be repurposed as a home decoration, providing added value to its customers.

“This feature allows our packaging to serve a dual purpose, transforming it from a container for mooncakes during the festive season to a decorative item that can be displayed at home year-round. By offering this versatility, we aim to ensure that our product remains relevant and useful beyond its initial purpose, providing a lasting impression on our guests,” added the spokesperson.

Apart from a delectable range of festive items for customers to celebrate traditional festivals with delicious food, Maxim's also provides a variety of bakery goods such as egg rolls, cookies, and sweet pastries, which are available all year round and are highly appreciated in the market, said Maxim's Leung. 

On the agency front, Judd Christie, managing director, Uniplan Hong Kong, said selling mooncakes alone will be hard beyond their normal season. “However, brands can try to reinvent the mooncake to follow the lunar cycle and turn it into a habit for millennials to enjoy every full moon – and push limited edition flavours for each lunar cycle,” he added.

To transcend the typical seasonal execution, some brands are creating limited-edition mooncake series and hosting pop-up events, according to David Ko, managing director, RFI Asia.

“These initiatives generate buzz and exclusivity, turning mooncake purchases into an experience rather than just a transaction. Additionally, incorporating eco-friendly packaging appeals to the environmentally conscious segment of young buyers,” he added.

Measuring the returns on investment (ROI)

When it comes to marketing dollars, brands measure the ROI through increased sales, enhanced brand visibility, and customer engagement metrics on social media platforms, according to RFI Asia’s Ko.

“By tracking hashtags, mentions, and consumer feedback, brands gain insights into their campaign's effectiveness. Moreover, partnerships with influencers provide qualitative data on reach and impact, helping brands refine their strategies for future festivals,” he added.

Duddell’s said itsmooncake sales consistently meet expectations, indicating a strong demand. “The loyalty of our returning customers who repurchase our mooncakes annually underscores their satisfaction with our offerings.”

“Additionally, our mooncakes serve as an accessible entry point for new customers, introducing them to our restaurant and brand. Many first-time customers are drawn in by our stylish mooncakes and later become regular diners, demonstrating the tangible impact of our ‘spend’ in this aspect of our restaurant,” the spokesperson added.

However, at times, brands may not be getting significant returns in the traditional sense, however many clients expect the right calibre of moon cake and brands continue to have a huge benefit from this exposure, especially those who create memorable packaging and concepts for their mooncakes, said Uniplan’s Christie.

“The challenge will be as we all now expect more sustainable packaging, how will brands adapt while retaining the same premium experience and sense of tradition. If they are to remain relevant to a younger audience, this will be a key factor going forward,” he said.

Taking Grand Hyatt as an example, environmental sustainability is a core focus for the hospitality brand, said Grand Hyatt’s Kwok.

“Our commitment is evident through the use of eco-friendly FSC certified materials in all our packaging, showcasing our unwavering dedication to sustainability while celebrating the festival in a stylish and environmentally-conscious manner,” she said.

Beyond its commercial value, this also presents an opportunity for Grand Hyatt Hong Kong and One Harbour Road to narrate its journey of continually improving its offerings and reaffirming its commitment to sustainability, she added.

For Maxim’s, the brand has always focused on building brand equity in term of recognition, reputation and consumer perception through integrated online and offline multi-channel marketing campaigns.

“This has enabled us to stand as the market leader for mooncakes in Hong Kong for 26 consecutive years with the classic ‘White lotus seed paste mooncake with two egg yolks’. We maintain an optimistic outlook and anticipate a very positive ROI,” said Maxim's Leung.

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