Introduction:Luckin Coffee has recently accelerated its expansion into the Hong Kong market, with seven stores currently in the preparation phase, located in popular districts such as Mong Kok, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Tseung Kwan O. Among them, the Tsim Sha Tsui branch, situated near a Starbucks, is expected to open as early as next month, sparking discussions on whether the “9.9 HKD coffee” model can thrive in Hong Kong. This article compiles the latest progress of store openings, location analyses, and pricing trends to help readers stay updated on this wave of mainland coffee brands moving south.
In recent months, Luckin Coffee has been highly active in the Hong Kong market. According to information compiled by netizens, the brand currently has seven stores under preparation, located in Mong Kok, the Miramar Shopping Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui, the Sunlight City Centre in Tseung Kwan O, Festival Walk in Kowloon Tong, Shatin Centre, Plaza Hollywood in Ho Man Tin, and the Fortis Financial Centre in Sheung Wan. Notably, the Tsim Sha Tsui branch is just a stone’s throw away from a Starbucks, seen as a significant signal of the brand’s direct competition in the market.
These seven outlets are currently all marked as “under renovation,” with signs on their hoardings reading “opening soon.” It is reported that the Tsim Sha Tsui outlet began recruitment through multiple channels as early as two months ago. A recruiter from Luckin’s Shenzhen branch revealed that this store is expected to officially commence operations early next month, aiming to seize an early market advantage.
Aside from the Tsim Sha Tsui branch, the construction progress of the Tseung Kwan O store is also drawing attention. Netizens who visited the site observed that the “Renovation Permit” displayed outside the shop indicates an expected completion date of December 5th, suggesting that this outlet may also open to customers in the near future. On social media platforms, many users with location settings in Hong Kong continue to share updates on the progress of each branch, reflecting growing consumer anticipation for Luckin’s arrival in Hong Kong.
In fact, over the past year, the trend of Hong Kong consumers traveling north to Shenzhen for shopping has continued to heat up. At the same time, many mainland restaurant and beverage brands have actively expanded southward. Well-known tea beverage brands such as Mixue, Moyo, and Shu Yi have initiated their Hong Kong presence as early as last year, followed by chain coffee brands like MANNER and Cotti. This year, brands such as Chagee and ChaBaidao have successively announced trial operations in Hong Kong, indicating increasing attention from mainland brands toward the Hong Kong market.
Regarding Luckin’s entry into Hong Kong, local media have also given it considerable attention, with headlines such as “Luckin Coffee to set up in three districts of Hong Kong, netizens hope Starbucks’ HK$40 coffee disappears” highlighting the public’s key concerns. Beyond the opening times of the stores, whether the affordable “9.9 HKD coffee” model can successfully take root in Hong Kong is a hot topic among residents. In Hong Kong’s expensive rental market, consumers generally hope that Luckin will maintain its affordable pricing strategy from the mainland.
However, looking at the pricing strategies of previous mainland restaurant and beverage brands after entering Hong Kong, most have chosen to raise prices to varying degrees. Take the coffee brand MANNER as an example: in Hong Kong, its most affordable products—such as espresso and Americano—are priced at 20 HKD per cup, with other items generally staying below 30 HKD. In contrast, MANNER’s Americano in mainland stores is sold for 15 RMB, espresso for 10 RMB, and typical milk-based coffees for around 15 to 20 RMB.
Tea beverage brands show a similar trend. For instance, HEYTEA in the mainland has reduced product prices to below 20 RMB, but its offerings in Hong Kong stores are generally priced around 30 HKD. Mixue sells freshly sliced lemon water for just 4 RMB in the mainland, but it goes for 9 HKD in Hong Kong. Chagee’s signature product, “Bo Ya Jue Xian,” in a large cup is 20 RMB in the mainland but 32 HKD in Hong Kong. ChaBaidao’s medium-sized Yang Zhi Guo Lu is 18 RMB in the mainland and 32 HKD in Hong Kong.
Although most brands have significantly raised their prices after entering Hong Kong, compared to the common pricing of local Hong Kong tea beverages (generally ranging between 30 and 40 HKD), these new entrants still hold a certain level of competitiveness. For Luckin, which is entering the Hong Kong market for the first time, its final pricing strategy will be key—whether it can maintain its affordability or needs to adjust according to the local market remains a point of ongoing interest.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
