Hong Kong’s supermarket aisles have quietly become the city’s hottest souvenir destination, offering travelers an affordable alternative to overpriced tourist traps.
For years, visitors flocked to Jenny Bakery for butter cookies, Tak Shing Hing for hand-rolled egg rolls, and Nin Jiom for herbal cough syrup. But a shift is underway. According to UFood’s editorial team, who surveyed eight major chains including Wellcome, ParknShop, Marks & Spencer, DON DON DONKI, 360 Premium, 上樓 (Upstairs) , Dasheng, and Marketplace, supermarket shelves now rival specialty shops for authentic, budget-friendly Hong Kong souvenirs.
As the May Day Golden Week approaches, here’s your curated guide to over 60 must-buy snacks, drinks, and treats—complete with savings tips.
Wellcome & ParknShop: The Local Legends
Founded in 1945, Wellcome operates over 280 stores across Hong Kong, making it the city’s oldest supermarket chain. ParknShop, established in 1973 and part of CK Hutchison’s A.S. Watson Group, runs approximately 250 to 345 outlets, including upscale sub-brands like Taste, fusion, and Gourmet. Together, they stock the essentials of Hong Kong’s pantry.
Dai Pai Dong Instant Milk Tea tops the list. This brand, dating back to 1933, offers instant versions of classic cha chaan teng beverages—both milk tea and yuanyang (coffee-tea blend). Their premium 3-in-1 sachets use top-grade black tea for a rich, authentic taste without queuing for a table.
Demae Itcho Instant Noodles deserves special mention. Hong Kong’s edition boasts 16 flavors, including black garlic oil tonkotsu, yuzu pepper pork bone, and spicy XO sauce seafood—far exceeding Japan’s domestic range. Some Hong Kong-exclusive varieties have even been reverse-exported to Japan, attesting to their quality.
Danish Butter Cookies remain a festive favorite, with multiple size options for gifting. The brand’s popularity has unfortunately spawned counterfeits; consumers should watch for six key authentication markers detailed in our photo guide.
Vitasoy, Hong Kong’s iconic soy milk brand, offers non-GMO, low-fat options in flavors from classic original to chocolate, malt, black bean, and even red bean. Garden Chocolate Finger Biscuits provide individually wrapped, portable sweetness, while Calbee snacks (shrimp crackers, corn rings, potato chips) and Kinder Bueno satisfy every craving.
上樓 (Upstairs): The Viral Sensation
上樓 has exploded on Xiaohongshu, drawing tourists seeking bargains. This chain specializes in affordable dried seafood, nuts, and imported snacks.
Standouts include original cheese bites (rich, salty, calcium-packed), octopus mustard shreds (thin, chewy, with a mild wasabi kick), sesame fish strips, and Korean brown rice seaweed snacks. For adventurous palates, spicy grilled scallop skirts and squid tempura (reheat in oven for extra crunch) deliver umami depth.
Fruit lovers should grab Thai crispy mangosteen and freeze-dried durian from pure golden pillow variety. Coconut chips offer sweet, crunchy satisfaction. Most remarkably, Dubai pistachio chocolate bars sell for just HK$5, while pistachio crispy sticks cost only HK$3—prices that have sent social media into a frenzy.
DON DON DONKI: Japan’s Treasure Trove
Since its 2019 Hong Kong debut, Donki has expanded to about ten locations, stocking roughly 15,000 items. The chain’s 2025 Product Awards highlight several must-buys.
The Egg Rice Sauce—a viral TikTok sensation with 11 million views in two months—simulates tamago kake gohan without raw eggs, using processed egg liquid and soy sauce in a clever dual-chamber pack. Simply fold and squeeze for instant comfort food.
Donki’s roasted sweet potatoes (approx. HK$20 each) undergo month-long aging to concentrate sugars, resulting in caramelized, fiber-rich treats rated top by customer reviews. Imuraya mochi ice cream (red bean, matcha, sesame) satisfies chewy-texture cravings, while limited-edition KitKat varieties (sweet purple sweet potato, Hojicha, strawberry cheesecake) and Pocky flavors make perfect impulse buys.
Savory options include Nisshin Donbei fried tofu udon (Japan’s best-selling instant udon), Ichiran tonkotsu ramen, and Sukiya beef bowl kits. Health-conscious shoppers appreciate Avatake chicken breast (as low as HK$20 per piece during sales) and POKKA SAPPRORO Mukumi—a sparkling lemon drink containing monoglucosyl hesperidin to reduce facial bloating, plus 1,350mg of vitamin C.
Marks & Spencer: British Classics, Hong Kong Love
M&S has cultivated a cult following for its European imports. Percy Pig sweets, available in classic and holiday-themed versions, use no artificial colors or sweeteners. The Shortbread Tea (a black tea with buttery cookie notes, sold in 40-bag packs) has become so popular that shoppers use it to make concentrated milk tea.
Lobster bisque (500ml) adds instant seafood depth to pasta and risotto. Sea salt pistachio dark chocolate triggers buying frenzies, while Tiramisu (box or individual cups) features thick mascarpone with coffee-soaked ladyfingers. High-protein yogurt (25g per cup) and multi-flavor cookies round out the selection.
360 Premium, Dasheng & Marketplace: Value and Variety
360 Premium (over 170 locations) offers Milka chocolates with Oreo and hazelnut variants, Black & White evaporated milk (a cha chaan teng staple since the 1940s, with over 1.25 billion cans consumed), and Orihiro konjac jelly in fruit and matcha flavors. Wa Nga’s satay beef slices and spicy braised fish fillets represent traditional Hong Kong snacks that have endured for generations.
Dasheng excels at budget imports: Oishi crispy toast from the Philippines (as low as HK$4), Japanese Tenroku mixed crispy beans, Korean Nongshim croissant-shaped crackers (sea salt butter or chocolate), and HBAF mint chocolate almonds.
Marketplace, meanwhile, has introduced over 90 Woolworths products from Australia, including organic medium-roast coffee beans from Peru’s Andes, canned organic vegetables, 100% frozen fruit, 99% juice blends, and plant-based milk—all catering to health-focused consumers.
Beyond the Aisles: A Local Perspective
Hong Kong netizens recently ranked 14 supermarket chains online, with U Select placing last and two chains tying for first place. The discussion underscores how deeply supermarkets are woven into daily life—and how they now shape the travel experience.
For travelers, the strategy is simple: skip the tourist queues and head to the nearest supermarket. From HK$3 snacks to premium organic goods, and from nostalgic local brands to international sensations, these aisles offer something every visitor can appreciate. As the May Day Golden Week begins, your suitcase—and your taste buds—will thank you for exploring beyond the usual souvenir shops.