New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern (Photo: Duncan C / Flickr)

Rampant for already half a year, Covid-19 has catalysed all sorts of new normal. Hongkongers put on masks as if it’s always been a part of their everyday attire. Twitter, Facebook and 9GAG announced WFH arrangements for (all or part of their) employees. As for New Zealand, which anti-epidemic efforts received international recognition, the prime minister encouraged employers to implement a four-day working week, boosting the well-being of employees while stimulating local consumption and travel.

Perpetual Guardian, a local corporate with 200 staff, shifted to a four-day workweek since as early as 2018. Founder Andrew Barnes commended the practice, stressing that his colleagues “receive 100% pay, work 80% of the time, and deliver 100% productivity”. Last year, Microsoft Japan also experimented with the idea, finding a 40% surge in work productivity. Wonder what Hong Kong bosses make of this?

(Photo: Green Monday)

Plant-based meat is becoming a fashion statement. Besides the US brands Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, surely we can’t miss the Hong Kong-based OmniPork, which has stepped onto the international stage. Developed by the Canadian-based R&D team of social enterprise Green Monday, the “meat” is made mainly of peas, beans, mushrooms and rice.

Founder David Yeung is himself a long-time vegetarian. He’s flown to the States several times in an attempt to introduce Beyond Meat (the texture and taste of which are akin to beef) into Hong Kong. Realising later that pork is the more common ingredient in Asian cuisines, he created OmniPork per the Asian taste profile – from “minced pork” and “sliced pork” to the recent “new luncheon”. Hongkongers may now enjoy a healthy bowl of noodles with egg and luncheon, minus the guilt.