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Moonzen Brewery Company Limited, announced today (June 15) that it is launching a locally brewed brand aimed at putting Hong Kong on the international craft beer map.
The 1,400-square-foot brewery at Kwun Tong was founded by husband-and-wife team Laszlo and Michele Raphael, who produce all-grain craft beer in a variety of flavours for distribution to Hong Kong pubs and hotels. Mrs Raphael was born in Hong Kong, and she and her Mexican husband believe that their Moonzen brand can help revive local manufacturing while preserving local culture. Moonzen means "Door God" in Chinese, and the name is inspired by the spiritual entrance guardians of Chinese folklore rooted in Hong Kong culture.
Mrs Raphael said, "We see Hong Kong as our home. We are proud of our dynamic city, and yet felt saddened by the decline of Hong Kong's local manufacturing industries. Moonzen Brewery is more than just beer. As told by our brand name, which means 'Door God', our core philosophy is to celebrate local culture while reviving local craftsmanship. We want to create a local brand that gives back to Hong Kong."
She added, "Hong Kong is a city full of business opportunities. The city is strategically located in the heart of Asia, offering an easy foothold where we can expand our craft beer business into other Asian markets."
Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion Mr Jimmy Chiang said, "Craft beer is getting more popular in Hong Kong as more and more foreign and local players are coming into the market to cater to the growing demand from local customers and visitors to Hong Kong. The Moonzen brand will add to the vibrancy of the market and I hope that their business will be successful."
About Moonzen Brewery
Moonzen currently produces five varieties of craft beer that are supplied to some of the major hotels and pubs in Hong Kong. The brewery also aims to raise awareness of conscious consumption by putting emphasis on sustainable sourcing of ingredients, fair wages and environmental protection. For more information, please visit www.moonzen.hk.
About Invest Hong Kong
Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) is the department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government established in July 2000 to attract foreign direct investment and support overseas and Mainland businesses to set up or expand in Hong Kong. It provides free advice and customised services to help businesses succeed in Hong Kong's vibrant economy. As of December 2014, InvestHK had completed over 3,440 investment projects creating more than 37,500 new jobs in the first year of operation or expansion and over HK$91 billion of investment. For more information, please visit www.investhk.gov.hk.
For event photos, please visit www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/sets/72157652248137714/.
Ends/Monday, June 15, 2015
Issued at HKT 14:00
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