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Jimmy Chow

Over the course of his 15-year career with social enterprise Gingko House, Kenneth Choi Man-kin has transformed the modest Hong Kong restaurant chain that aims to create jobs for the elderly into a flourishing catering group.
Employing more than 300 staff members with an average age of 68, Gingko House now operates six branches serving healthy food, supported by an organic farm, a commercial bakery and shops selling baked goods.
Choi, director of business development of Gingko House, has blended his entrepreneurial spirit with a social mission.
“Our goal is to give seniors not only an income, not just a job, but also a sense of purpose and dignity,” he said.
Choi has been shortlisted for this year’s Spirit of Hong Kong Awards in the entrepreneurship category.
The awards are an annual event jointly organised by the South China Morning Post and property developer Sino Group to honour remarkable individuals whose endeavours might otherwise go unnoticed.
Choi’s commitment extends beyond business development. For more than eight years he has also worked with another non-profit-making group that helps the elderly manage their financial and emotional needs.
In 2016, Choi launched the “Love Project”, in which patrons were encouraged to buy mooncakes baked by its elderly workers for the Mid-Autumn Festival and which were then given to other older residents in need.
“We wanted to offer seniors more than just food, something they could truly enjoy,” he said. “Mooncakes, a traditional delicacy for the Mid-Autumn Festival, provided our supporters with a meaningful way to give back.”
The overwhelming support eventually led to the opening of Gingko House’s first commercial bakery last year.
The bakery makes more than 80,000 mooncakes a year that it gives out for free, while also selling others to cover costs.
The Love Project now runs more than four times a year during major holidays, with Gingko House organising volunteer activities in which families help to make and distribute mooncakes to street sleepers and elderly living alone.
“Such activities foster a strong sense of community spirit and ensure that the joy of the festive season reaches those who need it most,” Choi said.

To overcome the challenges of delivering food during the pandemic when social distancing was mandatory, he installed vending machines in low-income neighbourhoods to distribute meals and personal protective equipment.
Choi said he believed the distribution network could be further expanded by partnering with other organisations to provide a wider range of essential supplies.
“My long-term goal is to have vending machines installed in every district so that beneficiaries can access food and other essential items 24 hours a day,” he said.
To ensure that only eligible beneficiaries receive meals, Choi has developed a robust vetting process that includes an interview with social workers and photo verification. The system tracks recipients, allowing one meal per person and preventing multiple pickups.
Choi also stressed the importance of building strategic partnerships with the private sector, noting that when different organisations shared values, collaboration would become easier and more effective.
When asked what advice he would give other social entrepreneurs, he said: “Be agile. Think creatively to adapt to changes and explore how you can maximise your social impact while remaining commercially viable.”


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Hong Kong

Society

Kenneth Choi has turned Gingko House into a flourishing catering business that aims to give older residents ‘sense of purpose and dignity’


Kenneth Choi has turned Gingko House into a flourishing catering business that aims to give older residents ‘sense of purpose and dignity’.


Spirit of Hong Kong