A new generation of lifestyle food stores arrived in Hong Kong today (Friday) with the grand opening ceremony for the first TASTE food galleria in Festival Walk, Kowloon Tong. Pioneered by the renowned AS Watson Group, the 35,000-square-foot store will enrich the tastes and lifestyles of Hong Kong's increasingly sophisticated urban consumers by providing "More Than Food" when they shop.

Speaking at today's ceremony, Mr. Iwan Evans, CEO of the Food, Electronics & General Merchandise Division of the AS Watson said "TASTE has been designed to match the needs of sophisticated local consumers. Its mission is to give them an innovative shopping experience and promote a healthier lifestyle through quality food and services. We believe TASTE will form an important part of the future development of AS Watson's retail business in Hong Kong, and that it will play an important role in the lives of its citizens,"

"The vision of TASTE is to enable people to experience 'More Than Food'. We aim to enrich the tastes and satisfy the rising aspirations of Hong Kong residents by providing them with a cosmopolitan selection of more than 25,000 of the best products from both east and west. Secondly, we will fulfill our vision by offering customers a quality environment, convenience, the highest standards of service and a sense of fun and excitement whenever they shop for food with us," Mr Evans added.

Welcoming TASTE to Festival Walk, Mr. Norman Chan, Senior Portfolio Manager of Swire Properties Management Limited noted that it will form an important new element at this leading shopping mall. "TASTE perfectly matches our concept for Festival Walk. It will broaden and enrich the shopping experience for all our customers," he said.

TASTE offers a huge selection of international grocery items. As well as Asian and Japanese products, there is an unparalleled range of fresh and cooked food, ranging from live fish and market-style fruit and vegetables to Chinese siu mei and lo mei, and freshly prepared Japanese sushi and sashimi.

Customers can savour the aroma of freshly baked bread as they shop in the open bakery, which offers an array of breads and pastries and a wide range of organic breads. The delicatessen area has more than 100 items from around the world, including mouth-watering cold cuts and cheeses. Freshly made sandwiches are available all day at the Sandwich and Gourmet Food Bar; and from 3:00 pm onwards it serves a selection of 16-20 freshly made quality meals to take home and pop in the oven. A party-catering service can also be ordered in advance. TASTE provides an extensive assortment of organic food in Hong Kong - from fresh fruit and vegetables to dairy products, groceries and frozen meals. The wines section stocks renowned vintages in a temperature and humidity-controlled room.

TASTE's unrivalled choice of merchandise is backed by superlative customer service. Almost all the staff members are fluent in English, and ready to provide knowledgeable advice. Furthermore, TASTE invites shoppers to tell them if there is anything they want that they can't find in the store. If TASTE can source it, it will present the customer with the first item free of charge. There are baby-care facilities, a carry-to-car service, delivery service (free for purchases over HK$400) and free parking.

TASTE is located at Shop 5, MTR Level, Festival Walk, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, and is open daily from 7:00 AM to midnight.

About TASTE

TASTE, a new member of AS Watson Group (ASW), is a new generation of lifestyle food stores that provides customers with "More than Food" shopping experience by adding fun and excitement to their daily grocery shopping. It aims to become the first choice food store for Hong Kong's increasingly sophisticated and health-conscious modern urban consumers by enriching their tastes and lifestyles. Located in Festival Walk, the first TASTE store was open in November 2004, and features more than 25,000 quality food items sourced from around the world.

About the A. S. Watson Group

ASW, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa Limited, with a history dating back to 1828 has evolved into an international retail and manufacturing business with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Europe. Today, the Group operates over 4,600 retail stores, provides a full range of beverages from bottled water, fruit juices, soft drinks to world's finest wine labels, and employs more than 64,000 staff worldwide.

Issued by Beyond Communications Limited on behalf of the A. S. Watson Group
For enquiries, please contact:
Beyond Communications Ltd
Ms. Cesca Lam (cesca@beyondpr.com), Ms. Iris Wong (iris@beyondpr.com) or
Ms. Theodora Lam (theodora@beyondpr.com)
Tel: 2815 5088       Fax: 2815 5123