Café de Coral taps Kuromi for mooncakes this Mid-Autumn Festival

Hong Kong fast food chain Café de Coral has collaborated with Kuromi, a beloved character from Sanrio, to launch mooncakes that infuse cuteness into the celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Reflecting that the Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for family gatherings, the collaboration aims to add a delightful atmosphere to the celebration with its adorable design.

In conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Angel Tam, director of marketing, Café de Coral, said partnering with Kuromi presents a strategic opportunity to elevate the brand by aligning with one of Sanrio’s most iconic characters.

"Kuromi’s bold personality and unique style resonate strongly with Gen Z and character IP enthusiasts, making her an ideal fit for our mooncake offerings. This collaboration enhances brand storytelling and emotional engagement, allowing Café de Coral to create memorable experiences that stand out in a competitive market," she added.

The value of this partnership lies in brand elevation and market expansion, Tam said. "By leveraging Kuromi’s popularity, we anticipate increased visibility, stronger consumer interest, and broader reach - especially among trend-conscious consumers seeking novelty and collectibility."

As part of the collaboration, a box of six Kuromi lava matcha red bean mooncakes has been introduced. According to the release, these mooncakes are made with high-quality matcha, finely ground to an ultra-fine 800 mesh powder, resulting in a smooth texture and an elegant appearance. The matcha offers a fragrant aroma with a subtle sweetness that complements the rich red bean paste filling. Additionally, the use of imported Japanese trehalose and high-quality cream provides a balanced sweetness that caters to contemporary taste preferences.

The partnership has adopted an integrated marketing strategy featuring a limited-edition Kuromi collection, including themed mooncakes, tin boxes, paper bags, and tote bags - supported by a multi-channel campaign across Facebook, Instagram, Xiaohongshu, and in-store touchpoints, she added. This includes social activations, influencer marketing, media releases, and in-store promotions to ensure wide and targeted exposure.

"As more brands tap into the IP trend to build emotional connections, this collaboration positions us at the forefront of culturally relevant marketing. It’s designed to appeal to a younger demographic that values creativity, individuality, and meaningful brand experiences—transforming a seasonal product into a collectible moment," she added.

Meanwhile, the mooncakes feature Kuromi's signature headband, and the packaging includes an image of her holding a star-shaped lantern, reflecting her unique charm. This design aims to attract customers even before they taste the mooncakes. Customers who buy the Kuromi collaboration mooncakes can also add a Japanese Kuromi fabric bag to their purchase.

In addition to the Kuromi lava matcha red bean mooncake, Café de Coral offers five varieties of traditional and modern mooncake flavours for everyone to enjoy. These include a lotus seed paste mooncake made with a low-sugar formula, a double yolk dried tangerine peel red bean paste mooncake, and custard and molten custard mooncakes, all designed to cater to modern taste preferences.

Additionally, to enhance its commitment to sustainability and waste reduction, Café de Coral is launching a poon choi container recycling initiative for the first time this year. From 7 to 12 October, customers can return their cleaned poon choi containers, along with the base, to participating stores at Siu Sai Wan Estate, Un Chau Shopping Centre, Sau Mau Ping, T Town, and Tai Wo Plaza. In exchange, they will receive two HK$10 cash vouchers as an incentive.

Café de Coral will sanitise and reuse the returned dishes, supporting an eco-friendly lifestyle this festive season. It seeks to reduce waste and foster a sustainable future together with its customers.

Don’t miss: Café de Coral nominates baked pork chop rice as part of HK's cultural heritage

Back in June, Café de Coral partnered with dentsu Hong Kong to launch a campaign celebrating the cultural significance of its iconic baked pork chop rice during Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Month. 

At the heart of the campaign was Café de Coral’s initiative to nominate baked pork chop rice for inclusion in Hong Kong’s official Intangible Cultural Heritage list.  

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