Hong Kong is major market for U.S. agricultural products, with total agricultural and related exports reaching nearly US$1.6 billion in 2024. Hong Kong’s global imports of agricultural and related products dropped 1.0 percent to US$24.1 billion in 2024 but remained stable at US$6.4 billion in the first quarter of 2025. The United States is the third largest supplier of agricultural products to Hong Kong, behind China and Australia and the second largest supplier of consumer-oriented products with exports reaching US$1.5 billion in 2024.

Hong Kong’s significance as a major food import market can be attributed to several factors:

• Most food and beverage products enter duty-free.  A rules-based import regime and sophisticated infrastructure for trade servicing, including financing and logistics, facilitates Hong Kong’s role as a trade destination and regional hub to China and other regional markets. 
• The Hong Kong government has not introduced retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports.
• An affluent consumer base, with per capita GDP of US$54,079 in 2024 (among the highest in Asia) that spends a significant portion of income on food.  Hong Kong consumers appreciate the quality and safety of U.S. foods and are willing and able to pay for higher-quality goods.
• Hong Kong remains an important gateway to mainland China and the region.

Retail

In 2024, Hong Kong’s retail food sales dropped 2.8 percent to US$11.8 billion. The Hong Kong food retail market is made up of supermarkets, convenience stores, and traditional markets.

Hong Kong:  Food and Beverage Retail Sales

Table 1: Restaurants Purchases and Receipts (Billion USD)

Source: Hong Kong Census & Statistics Department, USD1=HKD7.8
Units: US$ billion
 

There are over 700 supermarkets, 1,300 convenience stores, and close to 100 traditional markets in Hong Kong. The “Supermarket/Department Stores” category include sales at supermarkets, convenience stores, and food and beverage sections at department stores. In addition to groceries, these stores offer a more comprehensive shopping experience with increased offerings of fresh food, bread and pastry, organic options, and hot takeout meals. “Other outlets” refers to traditional markets, also called wet markets, mom-and-pop stores, bakeries, fresh fruits stalls and other outlets typically smaller in scale.  

Traditionally, Hong Kong consumers shop daily for food items due to a preference for fresh food and limited storage space in their homes. Street market sales trend toward fresh foods while supermarkets dominate in processed, chilled and frozen, high value-added, and canned food products. For more information on the Hong Kong Food Retail Sector, please refer USDA GAIN Report Retail Food Annual.

E-commerce Market for Food & Beverage

Hong Kong’s e-commerce sector experienced accelerated growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, as lockdowns drove consumers toward online platforms for essentials like groceries and personal care items. The value of online retail sales surged from $2.63 billion in 2020 to $4.06 billion in 2024, though 2023 saw a 5.9 percent decline as physical stores reopened. Despite this rebound effect, e-commerce penetration remains modest at 8.4 percent of total retail sales – significantly lower than mainland China’s 47 percent – reflecting Hong Kong’s dense network of physical stores and deep-rooted in-person shopping habits.

Despite these obstacles, notable opportunities remain. Hong Kong’s fast-paced culture aligns well with e-commerce’s ability to offer convenience to consumers pressed for time. Hong Kong consumers are open to new, innovative, and healthy products, and the region’s status as a major trading hub for Asia with world-class air logistics suggest room for growth. For more information on Hong Kong’s e-commerce sector, please refer to USDAGAIN Report:  Hong Kong E-commerce Market for Food and Beverage Products.

Hotel Restaurant and Institutional (HRI) Sector

Hotels

There are over 300 hotels providing approximately 92,900 rooms for visitors to Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Hotel Classification System implemented by Hong Kong Tourism Board features five key indicators including “facilities”, “location”, “staff-to-room ratio”, “average achieved room rates” and “business mix.” Hotel occupancy has rebounded since COVID restrictions were fully lifted in early 2023 and the sector remains a key user of imported high-end food and beverage products.

Restaurants

Hong Kong is home to a diverse culinary scene with more than 17,154 restaurants in Hong Kong restaurants catering to all tastes and budgets. The Michelin Guide 2025 stars 76 restaurants in Hong Kong and 19 in Macau, including seven three-starred establishments in Hong Kong, outnumbering the five three-starred restaurants in New York City and six in London. In 2024, Hong Kong restaurant receipts remained steady at US$14.0 billion while the restaurant purchase of food and beverage purchases dropped 2.1 percent to US$4.5 billion compared to 2023.

Sales of the Chinese restaurants, which make up 36 percent of total restaurants sales, declined by 4.3 percent in 2024. In contrast, fast food shops recorded growth over two years, with 18.1 percent in 2023 and 7.2 percent increase in 2024.

Table 2: Hong Kong:  Restaurants Purchases and Receipts (Billion USD)

Source: Hong Kong Census & Statistics Department, USD1=HKD7.8

Institutions

Hong Kong’s institutional foodservice sector consists of hospitals, residential care facilities, schools, prisons, and travel industry catering facilities. Many of these facilities, especially those operated by the government, purchase food supplies through tenders where price, quality, consistency, and stable supply matter.  Experienced local importers are familiar with the process and requirements.

For more information on the Hong Kong HRI Sector, please refer to USDA GAIN Report: Hong Kong HRI Annual.

Food Processing Sector

Local food processing is very limited in Hong Kong due to the high cost of land and labor resources.  In 2024, Hong Kong’s domestic exports of processed food and beverages decreased 4.4 percent to US$990 million year-on-year. Locally produced key products include instant noodles, pasta, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and drinks. Other related activities include the canning, preserving and pro¬cessing of seafood (fish, shrimps, prawns, and crustaceans), dairy products (fresh milk, yoghurt, and ice cream), edible oils and seasonings. The processed food and beverages industry in Hong Kong largely centers on re-export activities.  In 2024, Hong Kong re-exports of processed food and beverage increased 1.5 percent to US$5 billion compared to 2023.  Mainland China and Macau are two major destinations for re-exports, accounting for 49 percent and 29 percent respectively.

For more information about this industry sector, please see the U.S. Agricultural Trade Office in Hong Kong 
Market Reports or contact:

U.S. Agricultural Trade Office
Address: 18/F, St. John’s Building
33 Garden Road, Central
Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2841-2350
Fax: (852) 2845-0943
Email: atohongkong@usda.gov
Website: https://www.atohongkong.com.hk