Opened: 1980s
Business: Chinese Pastries
Address: Ground Floor, 66 Third Street
One is always attracted by a good smell when walking into Third Street− that, of course, is from Arona Egg Roll Cake Shop, that has been opened for thirty years. This locally famous brand was first opened in stall by Mr. Mang’s father on Centre Street before it moved to the Central Street Market in 2003, when Centre street was being rebuilt. It later moved to its current address on Third Street as this was a busier part of Sai Ying Pun.
The shop is rather like a transformed stall. The front end of the shop is a retail store, while the back end is a workshop run by Mr. and Mrs. Mang. The couple have a machine specially manufactured for the making of eggrolls, which they bought at a local factory. The machine looks like a drum set, and Mr. and Mrs. Mang play the “drum” rhythmically with their hands and feet – pressing, rolling and making eggrolls and Phoenix Rolls with different flavours. The couple source ingredients locally. For instance, the flour comes from a wholesaler on Connaught Road West, and the eggs are from the Western Wholesale Food Market. As a way to ensure that the ingredients are always fresh and of good quality, the amount of ingredients is purchased according to the demand at different times.
The couple follow the traditional eggroll recipe, and at the same time innovate their products’ package design to meet market demands. For example, the shop’s sharp and eye-catching red metal gift boxes are the top gift choices during festive seasons, during which the shop is always crowded with customers.