Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
Anita Lee Yan-kwan grew up in a family business that sold fish balls to street food stalls and restaurants in Hong Kong.
For many years, the fish balls from Kau Kee Food Factory were known only to industry operators.
But last December, Lee, the second generation in her family to run the business, opened the company’s first retail store for everyday customers. It is located in Mong Kok.
Kau Kee has been a quiet leader in the food industry for 66 years, providing fish balls to almost 1,000 eateries and stalls around Hong Kong.
“Before opening the retail shop, if you were to ask people about Kau Kee on the street, they would probably not know about it,” Lee said. “Yet it’s likely almost every Hongkonger has eaten our fish balls.”
The 30-year-old used to work in the government. She changed careers during the Covid-19 pandemic and took over the family business. At the time, street food vendors were struggling to attract customers, so shops were ordering fewer fish balls. In 2023, Lee launched the company’s first online store to sell directly to consumers.
For Lee, the venture is about ensuring that the pulse of the 66-year-old business continues to beat for many years to come.
