Why, after 60 years, Mong Kok fish ball factory Kau Kei is selling direct to the public

After six decades of supplying restaurants across Hong Kong with high-quality, locally made fish balls, Kau Kei Food Factory is now also selling directly to customers – at a fraction of the price. Owner Anita Lee pivoted the business in 2025, opening Kau Kei’s first retail outlet in Mong Kok. The move was to let customers buy its signature fish balls without the restaurant mark-up, and to raise the brand’s profile in the heart of the city.