Hong Kong – Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) has partnered with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) to help China Resources Enterprise Property Investment Company Limited (CREP) launch Hong Kong’s first smart catering robot.
Named the Hey Food Smart Catering Robot, the initiative integrates technological solutions from the mainland with local business expertise. The system provides hot meals around the clock, with fully automated operations that handle ordering, reheating, and dispensing, applying AI technology to local food and beverage retail scenarios.
Alpha Lau, director-general of Investment Promotion of InvestHK, highlighted the role of government collaboration in supporting innovation. The latest budget, she noted, emphasises the industrialisation of AI and encourages its wider adoption.
She shared, “We are very pleased to see these technologies being adopted in the catering industry, opening up new directions for smart retail. This project also fully demonstrates the result of cross-departmental collaboration in facilitating the successful implementation of innovative technologies while ensuring compliance with local regulations and food safety requirements.”
Lau continued, “I look forward to seeing more companies leverage Hong Kong’s business advantages to further expand its presence in the city and across the Asia-Pacific region.”
Donald Ng, director of Food and Environmental Hygiene, said the FEHD has long supported innovation in the catering industry while maintaining food safety and public hygiene standards.
He said, “For this project, the FEHD maintained close communication with the relevant companies, providing guidance on legal requirements and hygiene standards to facilitate their acquisition of the necessary food business licences.”
“I am pleased to see the smooth implementation of this project and look forward to more technological applications in the catering industry in the future to continuously elevate service standards,” Ng added.
Zhang Linjun, deputy general manager of CREP, said the company is committed to building a one-stop overseas expansion platform to help Mainland brands establish a presence in Hong Kong and explore business opportunities.
“Leveraging our two decades of resources and experiences in Hong Kong’s commercial market, we have assisted Mainland companies in establishing their technological and business operations in Hong Kong,” he said.
He continued, “We have also developed a deep partnership with InvestHK to promote the application of innovative technologies in the catering sector while tackling daily challenges in the industry. This initiative will offer Hong Kong residents more diverse dining options in various scenarios, including remote areas, busy districts and late-night hours. Going forward, we will further expand the scope of co-operation to help the smart catering business form a scaled operational network.”
Founded in 2000, CREP manages a portfolio of commercial properties in Hong Kong’s key business districts and neighbourhoods. In recent years, the company has expanded its overseas service platform, helping Mainland brands go global while providing higher-quality services and products to Hong Kong residents.
