KUCHING: Large crowds thronged China Street in Padungan here today, with visitors eager to purchase premium mooncakes for the Mid-Autumn festival this Thursday.
The popular street has always been the best place to shop for mooncakes, Chinese pastries and sweets, as several famous traditional confectionary shops are located along it.
Shop assistant Kelly Go of Old Street Enterprise said customers began arriving as early as 9am and left with boxes upon boxes of mooncakes.
“Some of them are repeat customers who buy not just for themselves, but relatives and friends too.
“If they don’t come today, many flavours would not be available to them, as they would be sold out. We are not baking a new batch anymore, as the festival is just a few days away,” she said.
According to Go, the traditional mooncake, which tastes sweet with its red bean and lotus fillings, is no longer the top choice among customers.
“Now, our mooncakes are less sweet due to health concerns and we have more than ten flavours to satisfy the taste buds of everyone, and to stay competitive in the business,” she said.
Flavours such as durian, walnut tiramisu, double chocolate, sesame, mixed nuts and green tea have gained popularity among locals.
“The new flavours are not just a hit with young customers, as even the elderly are fans, especially of the tiramisu, sesame and mixed nuts,” said Go.
Much effort is also put into the special packaging. “Packaging ideas and designs are equally important, as people buy mooncakes as gifts too.
“Hence, we have modern and elegantly-designed boxes, as well as traditional paper bags,” she explained. On the sales, she said it was average compared with last year, despite the economic downturn.
“There isn’t any significant drop in our sales so far,” Go said.
-New Straits Times