Meet the Entrepreneur Taking Hong Kong’s Vegan Bakery & Cheese Scene to the Next Level

Shirley Kwok is a successful entrepreneur in Hong Kong, with businesses including The Cakery, Maya bakery, and Cultured vegan cheese brand. Starting as a pop-up cake shop in 2016, The Cakery has now evolved into five locations offering cakes for all occasions and diets. A year and a half ago, Kwok created her artisanal vegan cheese brand, Cultured, rooted in fermentation and offering a range of vegan cheese blocks, cream cheeses, and more.

Maya, Kwok's newest brand, is a plant-forward bakery with an almost fully vegan menu, offering local and international treats at affordable prices. While not vegan herself, Kwok focuses on offering clean-label, wholesome food that appeals to both vegans and non-vegans. With a passion for aesthetics and family values, Kwok hopes to educate and normalize veganism in Hong Kong, aiming to make vegan food more accessible and appealing to a wider audience.