New Generation Milk Tea Master Training Program 2016
FrieslandCampina (Hong Kong) Limited
“FCHK successfully developed an highly effective Hong Kong-style milk tea making training program and established ‘milk tea master training’ as an annual industry event that is growing in depth, scale and reach.”
INTRODUCTION
BLACK&WHITE evaporated milk, one of the hero products of FrieslandCampina Hong Kong (FCHK) and the perfect partner to local tea shops and Hong Kong-style milk tea, the unique beverage in Hong Kong food culture, is the only evaporated milk available in local market that is 100% made from fresh milk in the Netherlands, that brings the fragrance, smoothness, aroma and thickness of the Hong Kong-style milk tea. Hong Kong-style milk tea making technique is listed as the First Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory of Hong Kong, the industry, however, is facing talent shortage as senior milk tea masters are retiring. In order to preserve the craftsmanship, FCHK has been organizing milk tea master training program since 2013. In 2016, the program was further expanded in scale and reach by collaborating with NGOs, schools, media and local tea shops in the hope to inherit the Hong Kong-style milk tea culture and craftsmanship, preserve and transfer Hong Kong-style milk tea making techniques, attract new blood to the industry and assist the unemployed to acquire vocational skills and reintegrate into the society.
FRAMEWORK AND STRATEGY
The program contained 2 components, vocational training and public education. FCHK partnered with two local NGOs, Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service – Hong Kong and Hong Kong Women Development Association, and senior milk tea masters to provide a 24-hour, comprehensive training course about the making techniques of Hong Kong-style milk tea as well as signature snack and beverage at Hong Kong-style tea shops to unemployed teenagers, middle-aged people and women. FCHK also facilitated the collaboration between NGOs and tea shops to jointly give back to the community by inviting renowned local tea shop chains, Ngan Lung Catering (Group) Limited, Chrisly Café and Ho Ho Canteen, to provide selected trainees with at least 150 hours of internship training. This enabled the trainees to gain first-hand experience of the work environment in local tea shops and aid them to re-entre the workforce as milk tea master. Meanwhile, FCHK joined hands with media, local secondary schools, senior milk tea masters and local NGOs to organized 6 milk tea making workshops for reporters, students and milk tea lovers from the general public to raise public awareness on the preservation of Hong Kong-style milk tea making technique, and maximize the reach of the program.ACHIEVEMENT AND IMPACT
FCHK successfully developed an highly effective Hong Kong-style milk tea making training program and established ‘milk tea master training’ as an annual industry event that is growing in depth, scale and reach. 25 trainees, aged 15-62, successfully passed the exam and graduated from the training program; accumulating a total of over 100 milk tea masters trained since 2013. 100% of surveyed trainees agreed that the program has enhanced their knowledge in Hong Kong-style milk tea; while over 90% of surveyed trainees agreed that the program fulfilled their personal development and working needs, and boosted their confidence in relevant job hunting. 20% shortlisted trainees, completed 752 hours of internship training in total. Moreover, the program generated positive broadcast, print and online media stories about the training program and Hong Kong-style milk tea making techniques, with a PR value of over HK$3.9 million, raising awareness to mass public.FUTURE DIRECTION
The 2015 Policy Address of Hong Kong announced that the Government would step up the safeguarding measures of intangible cultural heritage, one of which was to establish a Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Hong Kong. In 2017, Hong Kong-Kong-style milk tea making technique is recommended for inclusion in the Representative List under the traditional craftsmanship domain. BLACK&WHITE evaporated milk, as the key ingredient of Hong Kong-style milk tea, recognizes the responsibility to continue enabling the sustainability of the cultural heritage of Hong Kong-style making technique. Building on the strong experience and proven track record of ‘milk tea master training’, as well as the long-term and strategic partnership with NGOs and local tea shops: FCHK is committed and confident to keep on organizing the training program in the future to preserve Hong Kong-style milk tea making techniques, attract new blood to the industry to inherit the craftsmanship.
FrieslandCampina (Hong Kong) Limited, a subsidiary of Royal FrieslandCampina, has maintained a long presence in Hong Kong since 1938, providing high quality and nutritious dairy products for consumers, customers and food service business partners in Hong Kong and Macau, nourishing the lives of Hong Kong people across all ages.
