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Taiwanese bakery chain 85°C Bakery Cafe is reportedly preparing to shut down all operations in Hong Kong. Speculation regarding the brand's exit intensified after local media discovered at least one major branch suddenly shuttered, while company representatives declined to provide an official explanation.
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According to an investigation by a reporter from Singtao Headline—a sister publication of The Standard—the chain's Kwai Fong Plaza location has already been cleared out. During a visit to the site on Thursday, the reporter found the first-floor store’s gates locked and its shelves completely empty, leaving only a few tables, chairs, and empty display cases behind. Notably, no closure or relocation notices were posted at the premises.
Morning phone calls to the Kwai Fong store went unanswered. Staff at neighboring shops stated they were unaware of the specific details regarding the closure, but confirmed the bakery had been shut down for two days, specifically on September 1 and 2.
The status of the chain's other locations remains uncertain. While the 85°C branch in Yau Tong's Domain shopping center is listed as "permanently closed" on Google, the reporter found that the store was still actively operating. However, on-site staff at the Domain branch refused to comment on whether their branch would also close.
Official channels have thus far remained tight-lipped about the potential market exit. When a reporter called the Hong Kong office for the brand’s Taiwan headquarters to inquire about a full closure, a Mandarin-speaking employee abruptly deferred the questions.
“Another representative will address this," the employee stated. "We cannot respond to your questions right now, so I must hang up. Sorry.”
As of now, the company has not issued any formal statement regarding the future of its Hong Kong operations.
