Yi Wan Rou Zao — Fairwood's Taiwanese pork chain closed in under 2 years

Yi Wan Rou Zao (meaning 'A Bowl of Minced Pork'; Chinese: 一碗肉燥) was a Taiwanese-style minced pork rice chain launched by Fairwood Holdings, Hong Kong's second-largest fast-food restaurant group. The brand opened multiple locations across Hong Kong in 2024, attempting to tap into demand for affordable Taiwanese comfort food. By January 2026, every single store was closed.

The last remaining location in Cheung Sha Wan shut its doors on 14 January 2026, with the official reason given as lease expiry. The closure marked the end of a brand that lasted less than 2 years from launch to full exit.

Fairwood, which operates more than 130 fast-food restaurants in Hong Kong under the Fairwood brand, has been experimenting with sub-brands and concept stores in an attempt to diversify beyond its flagship fast-food chain. Yi Wan Rou Zao was one such experiment — and one that did not survive the post-pandemic market's harsh economics. The chain was also competing against a wave of mainland Taiwanese food chains entering Hong Kong, as well as established local players, all while consumer spending remained weak.

The failure is notable because Fairwood has the resources, supply chain, and real estate relationships to support a new concept. That a sub-brand backed by a listed company with HK$3 billion in annual revenue could not survive suggests the problem was not with the operator but with the concept itself — or the market conditions that make any new restaurant concept in Hong Kong a gamble.