Benjamin is a Hong Kong native and a Kiwi. In 2015 he founded, 178 Degrees, a retailer for high quality, sustainably sourced, New Zealand produce.

The concept was borne out of an idea to take the best of New Zealand and present it to Hong Kong’s discerning clientele. At its core, 178 Degrees is an expression of New Zealand’s heritage as a farming nation, and values itself on its long-standing relationships with its suppliers and deep knowledge and understanding of the products they distribute.

Starting out with just a single product – Pacific oysters – 178 Degrees now offers in their online store over a dozen; including different varieties of meat, seafood and vegetables. Best of all 178 Degrees can say unequivocally that all the seafood that they import come from sustainable farms or fisheries, and some products additionally comply with Seafood Watch and MSC certifications, as a result of customer demand.

Sustainability and responsibly sourced foodstuffs make up a fundamental principle for the way Benjamin carries out his business operations and is a principle that he advocates for vigorously.

“The lesson to be learned is that sustainable seafood is not just about health and environmental choices. It’s also an economically rewarding undertaking, which is great news for Hong Kong where seafood is such an important part of our diet and culture.”