Maxim's and HK Electric inspire eco-friendly culinary trends with new campaign

Maxim’s Group and The Hongkong Electric Company have partnered to launch the “All you can cook!” x “Happy green campaign” culinary competition, championing food conservation and inspiring innovative eco-friendly culinary trends.

This initiative encourages Hongkongers to unlock their culinary creativity by fully utilising food ingredients and thoughtfully turning pre-consumer surplus food into ingenious and delicious dishes.

This competition aims to foster a community-wide culture of food conservation and waste reduction at the source. Registration is now open until 24 July 2025 to all Hong Kong residents.

The competition features four categories - “Families”, “Secondary School”, “Tertiary and Vocational School”, and “Public” - designed to encourage wide community participation. It challenges participants to creatively repurpose surplus ingredients into new recipes that minimise food waste.

Entries will be judged on their originality, taste, presentation, and effectiveness in reducing food waste. Winners will not only receive valuable dining and shopping vouchers but will also have their recipes featured in the “All you can cook!” x “Happy green campaign” e-cookbook, further promoting sustainable cooking practices.

The competition kicked off on 29 May with a vibrant ceremony featuring key figures such as Diane Wong Shuk-han (pictured fourth left), under secretary for environment and ecology, as well as leaders from education sector, and professionals from the catering and environmental industries, highlighting the cross-sector collaboration essential for nurturing future eco-conscious culinary innovators.

In a conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Keith Siu (pictured third left), chief operating officer (Hong Kong & Macau) of Maxim’s Group said, Maxim’s previously invited the group’s chefs to unleash their creativity, by turning leftover food into delicious dishes. Some of the items will be rolled out at certain frontline stores under Maxim’s Group from June.

During her speech, Wong said: “Maxim’s and HK Electric have been steadfast in encouraging the public to cherish food and support sustainable living. Maxim’s actively participates in government and community initiatives to reduce food waste and implements food waste recycling across its restaurants and outlets. Meanwhile, HK Electric not only focuses on reducing carbon emissions from power supply to support the government’s carbon neutrality goals but also endeavours to engage its customers and the community in environmental protection efforts.”

Siu added: “At Maxim’s, we’ve always prioritised a culture of food conservation, integrating sustainability into every aspect of our operations. We are delighted to collaborate with HK Electric to inspire the community to value food and transform surplus ingredients into innovative culinary creations.”

Francis C.Y. Cheng, managing director of HK Electric (pictured fourth right), said: “HK Electric has been actively supporting the HKSAR government’s vision of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Apart from increasing our gasfired power generation to about 70%, we also strive to decarbonise all aspects of our operations, and encourage our customers and the wider community to cut carbon. Last year, our ‘Happy Green Campaign’ inspired sustainable fashion through the ‘Back in Fashion’ design competition, where participants created trendy clothing by recycling and upcycling materials. This year, we’re happy to join forces with Maxim’s to promote saving food and reducing waste among local citizens.”

Since February, chefs across Maxim’s establishments in Hong Kong and Mainland China have been pioneering “zero waste” dishes. This initiative has led to the creation of nearly 50 creative recipes, with 13 exceptional dishes that will be featured in Maxim’s restaurants.

Among these, the “Chilli oil with crispy bread and chicken oil” crafted by Maxim’s Food Factory showcases the innovative use of surplus bread turned into crispy breadcrumbs, blended with fragrant house-made chicken oil, aromatic green onions, spicy red chilies, and Sichuan peppercorns. This innovative product is set to debut in Maxim’s restaurants, highlighting the creative potential for ingredient upcycling.

On the other hand, HK Electric is also dedicated to fostering an eco-friendly food culture and advocating a low-carbon diet. To combat food waste at the source, the company has introduced a pre-ordering system for employee canteen lunches. All food waste is responsibly managed and recycled, minimising its environmental impact on landfills and reducing unnecessary carbon emissions.

Join us this coming 17 June for #Content360 Hong Kong, an insightful one-day event centered around responsible AI, creativity VS influencers, Xiaohongshu and more. Let's dive into the art of curating content with creativity, critical thinking and confidence!

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