Chinese Internet Celebrity “Crazy Little Yang” Promotes “Hong Kong Meicheng Mooncakes” on Douyin

Chinese internet celebrity “Crazy Little Yang” recently promoted “Hong Kong Meicheng Mooncakes” on Douyin, a popular Chinese social media platform. The promotion was done in collaboration with Hong Kong star Eric Tsang, who appeared in the live broadcast room to promote the product.

Xiao Yang, also known as the “Big Brother of Douyin,” has over 100 million fans on the platform and has become a prominent figure in Chinese live streaming. He claimed that the “Hong Kong Meicheng Mooncakes” were a high-end product from Hong Kong, containing black truffle and prepared by a Michelin master.

However, reports from mainland and Hong Kong media outlets, such as Jimu News and Hong Kong 01, revealed that the product was actually a mainland product with no stores in Hong Kong. The mooncakes were sold out in the live broadcast room, with three boxes costing RMB 99 (approximately NT$450), significantly cheaper than famous Hong Kong mooncakes.

The product’s packaging and name were reminiscent of Hong Kong’s famous Maxim’s mooncakes, carrying the aura of “Hong Kong” and packaged as a classic high-end mooncake. According to information from a third-party manufacturer platform, the sales of Hong Kong Meicheng mooncakes on Douyin exceeded 50 million yuan in the past 30 days, rivaling the sales of Maxim’s.

Zeng Zhiwei, a Hong Kong celebrity, also appeared in the live broadcast room, promoting the product alongside Xiao Yang. However, the true “regional identity” of the “Hong Kong mooncakes” has been widely questioned, with many netizens from Hong Kong and China expressing skepticism about the product’s origins.

An investigation by Tianyancha APP revealed that the brand operator of Hong Kong Meicheng mooncakes is Guangzhou Meicheng Food Co., Ltd., which is affiliated with Hong Kong Meicheng Food Group Co., Ltd. Although the company is registered in Hong Kong, the product cannot be found on Hong Kong’s largest online shopping platform, HKTVmall.

Customer service staff from Meicheng confirmed that the company has no stores in Hong Kong and that the product is produced in Guangzhou and Foshan. The “Hong Kong Meicheng” trademark applied by the company in 2022 was rejected and is currently under review.

Lawyer Chen Zhen from Henan Zejin Law Firm stated that if the product’s origin does not match the advertising and physical identification, it may constitute fraud, and consumers have the right to demand compensation.

The incident has sparked ridicule among netizens, with many expressing amusement at the fact that the product, which has a monthly sales of 50 million yuan, cannot be bought in Hong Kong. The topic has gained significant attention on social media, with over 120 million views on Weibo.