MEMBER SPOTLIGHT – KIN

 

Setting foot into KIN, I feel as though I have been propelled forwards in time. Sleek, futuristic interiors are lined with over 90 screens, each showcasing dramatic, reel-like footage that gives diners a glimpse into the food hall’s vast array of offerings. Before the bustle of lunch hour, I meet Matt Reid, co-founder of KIN, to discuss how his reinvention of food halls has been making waves in Hong Kong’s F&B scene.

Interior of KIN

 

Matt’s awareness of sustainability was sparked while working on the documentary A Plastic Ocean with Craig Leeson. For Matt, the experience was an awakening: seeing scientific data on the consequences of plastic pollution prompted him to rethink his daily decisions. “We were engaging in practices [like using straws] that we had no idea was bad,” he says. Working on the film also inspired the link between restaurants and sustainability innovation, prompting Matt to use restaurants as a catalyst for sustainable change.

Matt Reid, co-founder of KIN

 

THE BIG PICTURE

KIN’s mission is straightforward: to change the way we eat. The company’s approach to change encompasses every step of the supply chain; from ingredients to kitchen procedures, to human interaction, each stage of the process is reviewed and reimagined. KIN’s trailblazing business model aims to make sustainability more accessible and, in time, turn it into the norm. “My feeling is that consumers in Hong Kong care, but the availability of solutions is limited”. There’s also the widespread perception that sustainability comes at a cost: a notion KIN is challenging one meal at a time.

 

FOOD FOR SOUL (AND PLANET)

The average cost of meals at KIN is 70 HKD, and behind each bite is a carefully-curated selection of ingredients. At KIN, sustainably-sourced ingredients aren’t just a bonus: they’re the norm.  Ingredients such as free-range eggs, antibiotic and hormone-free proteins and fish sourced from the highest quality fish farms are simply the standard, and ingredients are meticulously evaluated against criteria that consider health, planet and humanity. Whether it be organic, grass-fed proteins or beef involved in rotational regenerative farming, each ingredient can be traced back to its source.

Sustainably sourced ingredients are the norm at KIN

 

Reconsidering ingredients is just one step of the journey. In addition to operating in a green kitchen, KIN has also introduced completely circular packaging. Just a few days ago, KIN served over 8000 meals at Clockenflap, recovering above 90% of packaging.

 

IN FULL SWING

KIN’s positive impact not only reaches consumers but also ripples throughout its supply chain. For example, its suppliers use KIN packaging instead of the conventional styrofoam or cardboard. As the company’s relationships with its suppliers blossom, KIN ensures that circularity is embedded into every aspect of its operations.

KIN also works with chefs and restaurants across HK to offer their signature dishes at KIN. While the end product is the same, diners can rest assured that meals made in KIN’s centralised kitchens are high-quality, low-carbon, and sustainable.

From the human perspective, KIN is also changing lives around the world. By purchasing coffee beans directly from a Vietnamese co-op, they’ve changed the prospects of an entire village.

From farm to kitchen: KIN’s holistic approach to change

 

A BRIGHTER FUTURE

KIN’s journey doesn’t end there. “My goal is to have 100 KIN kitchens in HK in 18 months, and launch in Singapore and London next year”. Matt tells me that KIN’s success will be measured by the percentage of daily food orders that can flow through a KIN kitchen. “You will see KIN in schools, offices, malls, supermarkets…” As KIN kitchens pop up across Hong Kong, Matt hopes consumers will begin gravitating towards more sustainable dining patterns.

 

“Know what you’re eating… what you put in your body is what you’ll become. Every small action is an important action. Don’t underestimate the importance of your value”.

 

To learn more about KIN head to their website here.

If you are a foodservice provider please get in touch with us about Future Green and lets see what possibilities lie ahead in normalising sustainability!