Published : 03/01/2025
For modern people, canned food could mean "unhealthy," but canned food was actually invented for the sake of health.
The most notable canned food in Hong Kong today must be "Fried Dace Fish with Salted Black Beans" (豆豉鯪魚), as it was the first canned food produced nationwide.
When was canned food invented? Let's take a look back at the interesting history of canned food and what it has experienced in Hong Kong.
Canned food was promoted by Napoleon over 200 years ago
Luncheon meat, Fried Dace Fish with Salted Black Beans, Spiced Pork Cubes (五香肉丁)……These affordable and delicious canned food is commonly stocked in many Hong Kong households.
Speaking of canned food, it actually dates back to 1804, making it over 200 years old. Its invention is largely attributed to the famous French military leader Napoleon.
Looking back at the late 18th century, the ever-campaigning Napoleon was often plagued by a particular problem: how to get food to the frontline soldiers without it spoiling. He even offered a prize of 12,000 francs for a solution to this problem.
Eventually, a chef named Nicolas Appert discovered that sealing food in glass containers and heating them would prevent spoilage!
This method of glass canning is considered the ancestor of today's canned food. Appert later successfully claimed the prize money and established a canning factory to produce military rations for the French army.
However, the person who truly popularised canned food was British merchant Peter Durand.
His significant achievement was the development of tin cans made from thin tin-iron alloy, for which he obtained a patent. This innovation allowed the British military to start using canned rations in 1813.
Western canned food doesn't suit Chinese tastes
The 19th century was marked by international turmoil and constant warfare, leading to a sharp increase in global canned food production. More factories opened, and canned food became increasingly popular.
The history of canned food in Hong Kong dates back to the 19th century, introduced along with British troops and foreign merchants.
Nowadays, Hong Kong's canned food market is dominated by domestically produced goods, but in the early 19th century, it primarily sold foreign canned food.
At that time, canned foods were mainly represented by companies like Dairy Farm (牛奶公司) and Lane Crawford, then wholesaled and distributed by local brokerages.
However, Western canned foods never quite suited Chinese tastes, creating opportunities and market space for local canned food manufacturers.
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HK produced over 6,000 tonnes of canned food annually in 1970s
According to The Hong Kong & Kowloon Provisions, Wine & Spirit Dealers' Association Limited, the first recorded canned food manufacturer in Hong Kong was Cheung Fat Company (祥發罐頭公司), established in 1922.
It is known that early production primarily focused on canned fruits. Unfortunately, there are no images or advertisements related to Cheung Fat Company that can be found online.
In the peak period of the 1970s, Hong Kong had more than 30 canned food factories, mainly producing canned vegetable such as mushrooms, asparagus, and water chestnuts (荸薺). The annual production at one point reached over 6,000 tonnes, with a value of up to HKD 25 million.
However, most of these local products were exported to Europe and United States, while the local consumption mainly relied on canned imports from Mainland China. As factories relocated north, locally produced canned goods became increasingly rare in Hong Kong.
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First canned food in the Mainland was produced in Guangzhou
The first canned food factory in Mainland China, established in 1893, was called Kwong Mou Heung Food Product Company Limited (廣茂香食品有限公司). The first canned food launched was Fried Dace Fish with Salted Black Beans, which remains a popular choice for many today.
Once upon a time, canned food was a luxury in the Mainland China. Due to its high price, during the early years after the start of Reform and Opening-up, only a few families could afford canned food. It was only opened for celebration when hosting guests or during special occasions.
However, as the economy improved and mass production scaled up, canned food gradually became a staple for the general public.
Read more: Why are canned peaches so popular among people in Northeast China?
China is world's largest canned food exporters
Currently, China is not only the world's largest producer of canned food but also the largest exporter, accounting for about a quarter of the global output.
According to data released by the China Canned Food Industry Association at 2023, the national export volume of canned food reached 3.125 million tonnes in 2022, with about 93,000 tonnes absorbed by Hong Kong.
Apart from the U.S., Japan, Russia, South Korea, and Italy, Hong Kong is the sixth largest export market for canned food from the Mainland.
In fact, when the People's Republic of China (PRC) was established in 1949, the national output of canned food was less than 500 tonnes.
However, the relationship between canned food and war is inseparable.
In 1950, in response to the outbreak of the Korean War, the number of canned food factories in China surged. Due to the U.S. and the UN embargo on China, Hong Kong as a free port became an important export and re-export market for Chinese canned food.
At that time, as domestic canned food was not well-known in Hong Kong, some national product companies frequently held promotional activities such as the "Chinese Food Festival".
Additionally, the influence of celebrities also helped introduce these canned food into Hong Kong households successfully.
Read more: Which types of Chinese canned goods are most popular abroad?
Canned food has been embedded in Hong Kong culture
Nowadays, many canned food have become part of Hong Kong culture and collective memory.
A classic meal of a "luncheon meat and egg sandwich," a bowl of "Ding noodles" (instant noodles with spiced pork cubes), paired with a cup of Hong Kong-style milk tea, represents the most authentic local dining experience.
In the past, canned food were often seen as cheap. However, as living standards have improved, canned food has started to take a high-end route: luncheon meat made from Iberico (黑毛豬), lobster soup costing hundreds of dollars per can, and exquisite canned abalone, are all readily available.
In response to consumers' health concerns, low-sugar, low-sodium, and additive-free canned food have also become more common.
Canned food no longer just means "unhealthy", but is now a convenience food that can be used in a healthy way, in a variety of ways.
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