On November 11, 2025, Assistant Professor Danni Ma from the Faculty of Business (FOB), City University of Macau, invited Ms. Ng SIO U., founder of Macau Hong Kee Food Company Limited, to deliver an in-class guest lecture to second-year MBA students in the Small Business Management course.

The session was conducted in a relaxed and engaging atmosphere, with Ms. Ng actively interacting with students. Drawing from her entrepreneurial journey, she provided in-depth insights into how small food enterprises manage market positioning, customer relationships, and product strategies. She noted that Hong Kee’s flagship product is its uniquely Minnan-style sweet soup, targeting local companies, schools, and community groups. With a primary focus on group purchasing, the company has long adhered to a “low margin, high volume” business philosophy. By ensuring consistent product quality, reasonable pricing, and cultivating strong word-of-mouth, Hong Kee has successfully built a loyal local customer base and now operates multiple retail outlets across Macau.

Beyond sharing her business successes, Ms. Ng also spoke candidly about the challenges commonly faced by small enterprises, including staffing constraints, cost pressures, product development, and seasonal fluctuations in demand. Her perspectives allowed students to gain a more realistic understanding of the complexities and uncertainties inherent in running a small business.

During the interactive portion of the session, Ms. Ng thoughtfully prepared several signature products from Hong Kee Food for students to sample. By tasting the sweet soup themselves, students gained a more concrete appreciation of the brand’s commitment to quality. They provided enthusiastic feedback on the product’s flavor, cultural elements, and market potential, contributing to a lively and engaging discussion.

This activity not only provided MBA students with a more vivid and practice-oriented learning experience but also reflected the FOB’s commitment to integrating theory with practice and strengthening industry–academia collaboration. In the future, the faculty will continue to work closely with local businesses to create diverse and in-depth learning opportunities, cultivating future business leaders equipped with professional capability, local awareness, and a global perspective.

MBA student Harrison shared:

“Bringing real entrepreneurs into the classroom is incredibly interesting and meaningful. Previously, we mostly learned about entrepreneurs through textbooks or online materials, which often feel distant and abstract. But when the entrepreneur is right in front of us, we can truly sense their emotions, challenges, and decision-making processes. Through this dialogue, students can also offer fresh insights that may inspire the entrepreneur in return.”

Photography: Yingying Liu