No money, no English: a Chinese family in Canada rose from the bottom and now own a fruit and veg empire

Leung Kin-wah’s family left Guangzhou for Vancouver in 1981 with little money, not much English but a desire to work hard. Now, they own a fruit and veg empire

This year, Kin’s Farm Market celebrates its 40th anniversary. Leung, who helped his parents start the company up, talks about its beginnings and its future

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(Left to right) Victor Lau, Queenie Chu and Leung Kin-wah at Kin’s Farm Market. In 1981, with little money or English, Leung’s family left Guangzhou for Vancouver, where they went on to build a fruit and veg empire that has been serving the needs of the local Canadian community for decades. Photo: Kin’s Farm Market

Published: 4:15am, 6 Oct 2023Updated: 10:47am, 16 Oct 2023

Back in 1981, when Leung Kin-wah was packing up to leave Guangzhou with his family and migrate to Vancouver, his 80-year-old paternal grandmother handed him a lai see packet.

“You’re going to Canada, so there is the possibility I won’t see you again,” she told her then 21-year-old oldest grandson. “Don’t open this now, only after you arrive in Canada.”

In it was a 20 Hong Kong cent coin and a small piece of red paper on which Leung’s grandmother had written in Chinese characters: “Work hard for your career, look towards the future, be successful in business and bring glory to your family.”

“It was so special, better than giving money,” he says of her words of encouragement.

The note Leung’s grandmother gave him before he left for Vancouver.

Leung has since framed the piece of paper and remembers these words every day as he works at the headquarters of the family business, Kin’s Farm Market, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary.