Maxim's Caterers

Maxim's Caterers Limited
Private company
Industry Food and Beverage
Founded 1956 (1956)
Headquarters 18/F, Maxim's Centre, 17 Cheung Shun Street, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon West
Products Chinese cuisine
Western cuisine
Asian cuisine
Fast food
Bakery
Starbucks
Genki Sushi
Revenue US$3.5 billion (estimate)
Number of employees
 24,000
Parent HongKong Caterers and Dairy Farm International Holdings Limited (50/50 shareholders)
Website www.maxims.com.hk

Maxim's Caterers Limited (Chinese: 美心食品有限公司; Sidney Lau: mei5 sam1 sik6 ban2 yau5 haan6 gung1 si1) is a Hong Kong based food, beverage and restaurant chain 50% owned by Dairy Farm International Holdings Limited.

Founded in 1956, the company operates over 1,000 outlets in Hong Kong, China, Cambodia and Vietnam. These include bakeries, fast food shops restaurants and Starbucks coffee shop licences. Maxim's restaurants have been targeted by conservation campaigners concerned with Maxim's support of shark finning.

Background and portfolio

Simplylife Bakery Cafe in Queensway Plaza, Admiralty

Hong Kong Maxim’s Group was founded in 1956 by brothers JT and ST Wu. The food & beverage company has significantly expanded since to operate Asian and European restaurants, fast food outlets, bakery shops and institutional catering. As at January 2018 the group run over 980 outlets in Hong Kong, China, Vietnam and Cambodia.

Maxim's claim to have established the first Sino-Foreign joint venture in China in 1980 with their air catering. They now delivers air catering service in 11 cities through joint ventures. In 1986, half of Maxim's company shares were sold to Jardine Group, but the Wu family still possessed the right to make strategic decisions; this position has been retained up till now. As a consequence, more branches of Maxim's various brands and restaurants have been opened in properties owned by Hongkong Land, such as Jardine House, The Landmark, Exchange Square and the World Trade Centre. They claim to employ 13,800 people, serving more than 700,000 customers per day.

Brands

Rice Paper restaurant in Festival Walk, Kowloon Tong during 2008 to 2013

In 1998, Maxim's launched a restaurant series named m.a.x. concepts, which managed restaurant brands including MAX, Cellini, Mecca, Thai Basil, eating plus, Mezz, café Landmark, Emporio Armani Caffé, and modern restaurants Kiku and Miso.

In 2004 the company opened the French-Vietnamese restaurant chain Rice Paper. In the same year, Maxim's Fast Food began producing ready meals and appetisers to be sold in 7–11 and Wellcome supermarkets.

Maxim's bought Genki Sushi in early 2006, and the company introduced the American restaurant Lawry's to Hong Kong the same year. Maxim's and Australian chef Geoff Lindsay opened the restaurant "Pearl on the Peak" in the Peak Tower. The company is the licensee of Ippudo ramen and The Cheesecake Factory in various territories.

In May 2000, Maxim's partnered with Starbucks Coffee International, Inc. to form Coffee Concepts Ltd.,[1] holding licences for both Hong Kong and Macau.[2]

In 2005, Maxim's have rebranded most of its restaurants as MX.[3]

Shark fin controversy

Shark fin protestors at Maxim's HQ, Hong Kong 2018-06-15 also protesting re Starbucks giving their regional license to Maxims.
Anti Shark finning protest at Maxim's Palace restaurant, Hong Kong 10 June 2017.

Maxim's have been targeted by campaigners regarding the company's support of shark finning.[4] On 10 June 2017 dozens protested at their flagship 'Maxim's Palace' restaurant for selling threatened and endangered shark species.[5] 50 protestors attended a demonstration at Maxim's branch at The University of Hong Kong on 10 February 2018.[6] On 15 June 2018 protestors directly targeted Maxim's headquarters in a demonstration that also targeted Starbucks' regional licensee being Maxims.[7][8]

References

  1. ↑ "Starbucks adjusts its formula in China". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. June 12, 2005.
  2. ↑ "Maxim's journey from start-up to Hong Kong's largest restaurant group". South China Morning Post. 27 April 2016.
  3. ↑ "Fairwood taps WE in brand challenge". Campaign Asia. Retrieved 2018-07-02.
  4. ↑ "Protesters urge HK restaurant to stop selling shark fin". Reuters. 10 June 2017.
  5. ↑ "Hong Kong activists dress as sharks to protest finning". The Guardian. 10 June 2017.
  6. ↑ "Shark fin protest draws 50 activists outside HKU branch of popular restaurant chain". South China Morning Post. 10 February 2018.
  7. ↑ "Animal activists take aim at Starbucks, claiming licence holder Maxim’s continues to serve up shark fin" Jennifer Creey, Hong Kong Free Press, 14 June 2018
  8. ↑ "In Pictures: Animal activists protest at Maxim’s HQ over their continued sale of shark fin" Jennifer Creery, Hong Kong Free Press, 16 June 2018
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