Since Michele Schiavo, Executive Director of Boncafe, arrived in Hong Kong, the city’s coffee scene has changed considerably.
“I have lived in Hong Kong since 1997, and over the years I have seen the local coffee industry blossom and flourish”, he said. “Hong Kong people are now very knowledgeable about coffee; they seek the best espresso coffee, but at the same time they are also keen to experience new flavours.”
Boncafe supplies coffee machines and coffee beans to restaurants, hotels, and offices across Hong Kong, offering a choice of blends including Segafredo Zanetti from Italy, the Australian organic blend Bean Ground & Drunk, as well as the company’s premium coffee brand and namesake Boncafe.
Established in the 1960s in Singapore by a Swiss expat, Boncafe then expanded across Asia and globally, and has been in Hong Kong since the 1980s. Today, Boncafe is part of Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group, an Italian-based global brand, and offers coffee blends, coffee machines, and even their own teas around the world.
Boncafe is also one of the few coffee companies in the world to have control over the entire coffee-making process. It owns and harvests from its own coffee plantations, operates 17 roasting factories around the world in countries including Singapore, Vietnam and Australia, and distributes its products through its own subsidiaries in most countries and territories. The company’s espresso machines and fully automatic coffee machines are manufactured in Italy and China respectively.
“We aim to offer an authentic coffee experience, which is the result of passion, hard work, attention to detail, and full control of every step in coffee making,” said Schiavo.
The industry continues to evolve as well as to grow, adapting to new technology and trends. For example, Boncafe recently launched “Cafematic” in Hong Kong, a fully automatic coffee machine that uses beans instead of capsules. This is part of the company’s efforts to offer offices a more environmentally friendly approach to making coffee at work.
Over the years, interest and enthusiasm for coffee has grown among both local and international residents in Hong Kong. “It is the perfect environment for our company to succeed,” Schiavo said.
As the company continues to grow, membership of the Chamber helps Boncafe stay on top of key business developments, Schiavo added.
“HKGCC can support us in our efforts to further develop our business by providing regulatory information and insights, not only for Hong Kong, but also in general for the Greater China market,” he said.
Company : Boncafé (Hong Kong) Ltd
HKGCC Membership No. : HKB0561
Established : 1962
Website : http://www.boncafe.com.hk