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Most Hong Kongers know Café de Coral, Fairwood, and Vitasoy as household names—but few realise these three iconic brands are all creations of the same family. Born to a Hakka father who emigrated from Guangdong to Malaysia, the Lo brothers built a food and beverage dynasty that reshaped Hong Kong’s dining culture. From pioneering self-service fast food to battling near bankruptcy, their interwoven stories of ambition, rivalry, and reinvention reveal the hidden threads connecting the city’s most beloved food companies.
The Father Who Changed a Family’s Fate
The patriarch, Lo Chun Hing, was a Hakka farmer from Mei County in Guangdong during the late Qing dynasty. Struggling for survival, he travelled alone to Malaysia and found work at Eu Yan Sang, a traditional medicine firm. His employer, the wealthy merchant Eu Tong Sen, recognised Lo’s diligence and eventually sponsored the education of all seven of his sons at the University of Hong Kong. That single act of generosity became the catalyst for one of Hong Kong’s most influential business clans.
Vitasoy: A Wartime Innovation
Lo Kwai Cheong, the eldest brother and the family’s first university graduate, attended a lecture on soy milk in Shanghai in 1936. The idea struck him: provide affordable, nutritious drinks to a malnourished wartime population. In 1940, he founded Hong Kong Soya Bean Products Company, later renamed Vitasoy. Despite the hardships of the Japanese occupation, the brand endured and grew into a symbol of health and resilience. Today, Vitasoy remains a staple in homes and cha chaan tengs across the city.
Café de Coral: Redefining Fast Food
Lo Tang Cheong, the eighth brother, had worked at Vitasoy for years but left in 1968 to start his own venture. He opened the first Café de Coral on Sugar Street in Causeway Bay, a bustling entertainment district. At the time, Hong Kong’s eateries—tea houses, ice rooms, and dai pai dongs—all offered full table service. Lo broke the mould by introducing a self-service, tray-based system. Customers queued, picked their meals, and carried them to tables. It was a radical shift that appealed to office workers craving speed and convenience. Café de Coral became the first Hong Kong restaurant group to list on the stock exchange, and its model spread across the territory.
Fairwood: Learning Through Crisis
Lo Fong Cheong, the ninth brother, followed his older sibling’s example. After nearly three decades at Vitasoy, he founded Fairwood in 1972. Early success came through aggressive television advertising, extended operating hours, and a central kitchen. But by the 1990s, the brand stumbled. Quality slipped, customer tastes shifted, and a negative image took hold. Fairwood suffered five consecutive years of losses, teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. The turnaround came in 2003 with a complete rebrand—new logo, redesigned interiors, and a refreshed menu. The overhaul attracted younger diners and restored the chain to profitability.
Brothers, Rivals, Survivors
Rumours of sibling discord have long circulated, but Lo Tang Cheong once told a radio interviewer that he felt pride in their collective achievements. “It’s like I lead one team, my brother leads another—we both try our best,” he said. He insisted that Café de Coral’s success came from his own effort, and Fairwood’s from his brother’s, with nothing inherited from Vitasoy except a mindset and work ethic. Today, the three publicly listed companies—Vitasoy International Holdings, Café de Coral Group, and Fairwood Holdings—together form a multi-billion-dollar business empire.
What This Means for Hong Kong’s Food Culture
The Lo brothers’ story is more than a family saga. It mirrors Hong Kong’s own transformation from a colonial port to a global culinary capital. Their willingness to innovate—whether through soy milk, self-service, or brand revitalisation—helped define how Hong Kongers eat, work, and gather. For entrepreneurs today, the lesson is clear: family ties can spark competition, but enduring success requires constant adaptation. As these three brands continue to evolve, they remain living monuments to a Hakka father’s gamble and his sons’ determination.
Want to explore more Hong Kong food brand histories? Check out our earlier article on the design stories behind 9 local logos, including Kam Tong, Vitasoy, and Fairwood.