A leading bar-restaurant chain from the Chinese mainland will establish its regional headquarters in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region after a recent opening of its first store in the city, the HKSAR government’s investment promotion agency announced on Wednesday.

Arnold Lau Chi-yuen, associate director-general of investment promotion of Invest Hong Kong, said Commune's decision to open its first store in the HKSAR highlighted the city's three key advantages: a sophisticated consumer market, a vibrant dining scene, and its role as a gateway to Southeast Asia and beyond.

Commune is an all-day directly-managed chain that combines craft brewers, curated dishes and spacious social areas to create a comfortable gathering setting for customers. Operating in over 100 locations across the mainland, the brand has ranked first among bar-restaurant brands in the market by revenue for three consecutive years since 2022.

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The first store, located in Causeway Bay, serves as the group's flagship location in the HKSAR, marking a significant step in its global expansion. Meanwhile, the brand will establish its regional headquarters in the city to steer overseas growth.

Fan Xiameng, co-founder and chief brand officer of Commune, described the SAR's international clientele, excellent business environment, and robust legal framework as the ideal foundation to build the brand and expand across Southeast Asia, touting plans to open additional store locations in the city over the next 12 months.

InvestHK said it has provided end-to-end strategic guidance throughout the setup process, including licensing regulation and visa facilitation, location advisory, and industry ecosystem networking, to ensure a seamless launch for the brand's regional expansion out of the SAR.