Brewing Up Success in the Greater Bay Area

by Stella Chen

Hong Kong entrepreneur Lokyi Wong followed a road less taken and launched a cafe in the neighbouring city of Shenzhen.

As the sun rises over the bustling metropolis of Shenzhen, Lokyi Wong and her business partners Kyle Chiu and Max Wong are already hard at work, preparing the day’s first rounds of coffee at their cafe, “All Day Club.” Opened just last year in the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub (E-Hub), this young startup has quickly become a meeting point for Hong Kong and Shenzhen’s vibrant community of entrepreneurs and creatives.

The journey getting, however, was not without its challenges. “So All Day Club started at an entrepreneur contest that I and two other co-founders participated in Hong Kong back in 2021,” Lokyi explains. The team won the contest, securing a HK$1 million award that they used to get their cafe off the ground in Qianhai.

Qianhai, marked in red on the map, is an industrial zone established to facilitate collaboration between Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA). It aims to attract Hong Kong enterprises, talent and investment to leverage Hong Kong’s advantages as a global financial and professional services hub.

The name All Day Club was inspired by their vision to cater to the diverse tastes of Shenzhen’s consumers. “We named our cafe All Day Club because we wanted to use the concept of ‘Coffee Morning and Alcohol at Night,’ which means we are selling coffee in the daytime and alcohol during nighttime.”

This dual offering has proved popular, as Lokyi has noticed distinct differences in the coffee culture between Hong Kong and Mainland China. “We found that consumers in Mainland China prefer new drinks on the menu compared to classic Italian coffee. There are many innovative coffee trending in Shenzhen such as Maotai Latte and Avocado Latte.” Adapting to these preferences has been one of the biggest challenges, as “you have to keep your new ideas coming and make your coffee interesting” to succeed in the mainland market.

Accepting the challenge to be creative, Lokyi and her team have continued investing in developing new drinks. This includes non-caffeinated beverages like their popular elderflower soda. “We found that there is also a big group of customers who like to spend time in the cafe but prefer non-caffeinated, refreshing drinks,” Lokyi explains.

Beyond the drinks menu, Lokyi and her team have also worked hard to foster a vibrant community around their cafe. “We have organised many social gatherings for Hong Kong and Shenzhen youth to bond here. We also have hosted the Chief Executive of Hong Kong and Legislative Council Members in our cafe where we got to show them our coffee culture.”

From team-building activities to DJ and coffee-making workshops, All Day Club strives to create a diverse events calendar aimed at bringing together young people from various backgrounds.

Hong Kong entrepreneur Lokyi Wong followed a road less taken and launched the cafe 「All Day Club」 in the neighbouring city of Shenzhen.

It was through these community-building efforts that Lokyi first connected with the HKFYG, which she considered to have played a crucial role in supporting her entrepreneurial journey. “Members of the HKFYG team encouraged us to explore more cities in the GBA and get to know more business opportunities. We also went to Guangzhou, Zhuhai, and Macau via cultural exchange group tours. That’s how we got to know the HKFYG.”

The HKFYG’s Social Innovation and Youth Business Unit (SIC) has provided Lokyi and her team with a wide range of resources and support. “They provide very diverse resources for young entrepreneurs. You can still access a lot of their start-up support even if you didn’t participate in their entrepreneur contests.” This includes connecting them with experienced industry mentors who have guided them on everything from identifying suitable entrepreneurship competitions to expanding their professional networks.

“As a result of guidance from these mentors, I know what entrepreneurial contests are suitable for our cafe. Mentors would also introduce us to business chambers to broaden our network.”

The decision to set up shop in Qianhai, Shenzhen has also paid dividends. “We think we have made the right choice to start our business in Shenzhen Qianhai. There is sufficient facility support here for young entrepreneurs. And it is convenient to commute between Shenzhen and where we live in Hong Kong’s New Territories.”

Beyond the practical advantages, Lokyi has also been impressed by the level of financial support and facilities available in Qianhai for Hong Kong entrepreneurs. “Qianhai gives us a great amount of financial support. We live in the subsidised Talent’s Apartment provided by the Qianhai government. It is only a 15-minute walk from our cafe and it only costs around 2,000 RMB monthly for a two-bedroom unit.”

Reflecting on her experience, Lokyi offered some advice to other young Hong Kong entrepreneurs considering taking the leap into the GBA: “You should try stepping out of your comfort zone. It never hurts to come to GBA and feel the environment first. You don’t need to rush and start a business here. But try the food here, get a taste of the culture, and make some friends here. Then you can decide if this is something for you.” ■

Lokyi Wong is a Hong Kong entrepreneur based in Shenzhen, Qianhai and the Co-founder of All Day Club. She has been actively involved with the HKFYG’s Social Innovation and Youth Business Unit (SIC), which has provided her with invaluable connections to entrepreneurship mentors and resources.