The Food Angel Jockey Club Food Production Centre officially opens today (15 October) in Sha Tin. As Hong Kong’s first large-scale facility dedicated to food rescue and meal production, its construction and a related elderly soft meal programme have been supported by a total approved donation of over HK$335 million from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust to the Bo Charity Foundation, which launched Food Angel. Once fully operational, the centre will annually recover over 660 metric tonnes of surplus food that is still safe for consumption, transforming it with care into over 11 million regular meals and soft meals annually, benefiting 45,000 people in need while promoting environmental sustainability.

Officiating guests at today’s opening ceremony included Cheuk Wing-hing, Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government; Jackson Woo, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; David Lam, Under Secretary for Development of the HKSAR Government; Antony Leung, Chairman of Food Angel; Gigi Tung, Founder of Food Angel; Rex Auyeung, Chairman of the Food Angel Jockey Club Food Production Centre Steering Committee and Board Member of Food Angel; and Gilbert Tsang, Member of the Food Angel Jockey Club Food Production Centre Steering Committee.

Club Steward Jackson Woo said: “Since 2013, The Hong Kong Jockey Club has worked hand in hand with Food Angel to respond to pressing social needs. The opening of the Food Angel Jockey Club Food Production Centre marks a new milestone in this partnership. The collaboration exemplifies the Club’s support for Older Adults, a strategic focus of the Charities Trust, enhancing seniors’ quality of life through cross-sector collaboration and innovative thinking. Looking ahead, the Club will continue to deepen interdisciplinary cooperation and expand the impact of its charitable initiatives across society.”

The three-storey Food Angel Jockey Club Food Production Centre is equipped with automated production lines and employs smart supply chain management systems. It integrates centralised food production and storage, helping to bridge service gaps in meal support services and specialised dietary needs. Apart from expanding capacity to increase the number of hot meals, frozen meals and meat packs currently produced, the new centre is also equipped to prepare a variety of soft meals meeting the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI)’s standard to cater to diverse dietary needs.

In addition, the three-year Food Angel Jockey Club Soft Meal Programme for Elderly with Swallowing Difficulties initiative will be rolled out. With the aim of producing approximately 3.3 million soft meals for around 15,000 underprivileged elderly individuals during the period, it will help beneficiaries overcome swallowing difficulties and enjoy their later years with dignity. The programme will also host cooking classes for family caregivers and NGO staff to promote community involvement in soft meal production. Over 32,000 community volunteers will be mobilised to assist with food preparation, and 100 guided tours or workshops will be organised for over 3,000 participants for them to gain deeper understanding of soft meals and food waste.

The Club has been working closely with Food Angel since 2013. This includes contributing to the operating costs of its edible food collection and producing nutritious meals for the underprivileged, run in collaboration with other NGOs, and supporting the establishment of its Sham Shui Po kitchen. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Club partnered with Food Angel to launch cook-chill meals, providing timely food assistance to people in need.

The Club’s support for these programmes, like all its charity and community donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and responsible sports wagering generate substantial tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class sports and entertainment organisation that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the HKSAR Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2024/25, the Club returned a total of HK$39.1 billion to the community. This included HK$30.1 billion to the HKSAR Government in duty, profits tax and Lotteries Fund contributions and HK$9.0 billion in approved charity donations.  The Club is Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is one of the world’s leading charity donors.