Mint City: the newest supermarket on the block!
Mint City — a sprawling supermarket in Hung Hom — offers a wide selection of high-quality groceries, upmarket beauty items and a vast selection of beverages, liquor and food ingredients. Greeting customers with floor-to-ceiling glass doors, clean linear elements and an open floor plan, the design concept behind the supermart signifies the modern values of the millennial mind: inclusive, stylistic and value for money. Besides food labels from Europe and the United States of America, the 5,000 sq. ft. store features a full breadth of authentic food items from places such as India, Thailand, and Indonesia.
“Organic and international products have become synonymous with Euro-Anglo brands at significant price points. But quality should be available to everyone. It was important for us to highlight the spices and flavours from our Asian neighbours as international, not minority,” said Amrit Sran, who is the general manager.
Mint City takes pride in their tight quality control and food selection process which assures high-quality options that can cater to a wide variety of tastes and dietary requirements. Customers with vegetarian, ketogenic and other health-conscious diets can feel confident browsing through an extensive range of fresh produce, organic foods and free-from products. Unlike most grocery stores in Hong Kong, these premium selections do not come with a hefty price tag. Empathetic design thinking was paramount to echo the Sran family’s values of inclusivity and style. The entryway boasts of a large expanse of glass that brightens the storefront with warm natural light, inviting buyers to indulge in summer coolers, fresh produce or grab-and-go bites. The clean modern design is a careful balance between function and form that stays loyal to monochromatic and earthy tones giving the store a uniform space and flowing interior which is open.
On visiting the store, one would wonder if Mint City was truly in Hong Kong as it offered a long-forgotten pleasure of generous walking space complemented by top-quality décor all around. The supermarket continues its theme of relaxation and comfort with its lounge area; a point of interest that encourages customers to unwind and build social connections.
“We wanted it to be inclusive and accommodating, and what better way to express our philosophy than through this earmarked lounge space. We have already had a few customers telling us how much they appreciate the cosy sofas to catch a breath or give a quick sip of water to their child,” said Meenu Sran, owner. It’s easy to envisage how this space can become more than just a resting pit stop but also an intimate contact-point between customers and employees. Mint City recently opened in August amidst the third wave of COVID-19 in Hong Kong. Keeping the safety of her customers as utmost priority, Ms. Sran shared that they have been following all the government protocols religiously and are dedicated to make transactions smoother.
“We understand that shopping in-store may be difficult, especially now when social distancing is critical to safety. Not only do we insist on strict quality control and food safety guidelines, but our customers can also browse our food catalogue online and have their groceries delivered in a day or two. Unfortunately, the pandemic may continue to be the new norm and putting people at the centre of what we do will be how we adapt to our changing landscape, she added.”
