A US$24 dried plum? How a Hong Kong fruit company preserves tradition while modernising
Preserved fruit company Yiu Fung, which specialises in ‘leung gwo’, is a local success story that has been doing business since the 1960s
Yiu Fung, a company specialising in leung gwo – preserved fruit – is a Hong Kong success story, now managed by third-generation manager Viego Szeto and his brother Szeto Wing-shun.
Translating as “cooling fruit” in Cantonese, leung gwo are traditional Chinese snacks with roots in medicinal cuisine. They are made by air-drying and curing various fruits like plums, peaches and oranges with sugar, salt and herbs such as licorice, and offer a complex sweet, salty and tangy flavour profile.
Celebrated for their ability to aid digestion and soothe the throat, these chewy and sometimes intensely flavoured treats are the preferred snack of TCM practitioners. They are also featured in festive celebrations and are everyday delicacies for many.
However, preserved fruits have been falling out of fashion. So how did Yiu Fung, a 60-year-old institution, change with the times to stay relevant, in the process creating a luxury dried plum product that costs HK$200 (US$24) and is one of its most sought-after?
“Yiu Fung is more than just a name that carries the legacy of traditional flavours,” says Viego. “It is also a source of pride built by my grandfather with his diligence and perseverance for both our family and the community.