Home Bao - Cape Town

Home Bao is an online food store that sells frozen dumplings and potstickers in Cape Town. Business owner Tina Long launched Home Bao in March 2019. Read why Home Bao is a proudly South African and proudly Chinese business.

"Be fearless" - Tina Long

Tina Long (Business owner) and Granny Home Bao.

1. When did Home Bao open?

Home Bao launched in March 2019.

2. How was the business started, and why?

My dad was my inspiration.
I resigned from my job in Cape Town to spend more time with my terminally ill father in Taiwan. With running between the hospital and fetching my children at the local community creche, dinner was the last thing I had the time and the energy for.
Being a dietitian mom, I felt terrible that I was feeding my children take-outs so often. Although convenient, they’re not always the healthiest and most balanced meal option.
Frozen dumplings seemed to tick all the boxes. I could buy them in bulk from the local supermarket (in Taiwan) and keep them in the freezer. In one bite, they had all the carbs, protein and veg we needed! Most nights, I took out the amount I needed for the three of us, and in 20 minutes dinner was served. Watching the kids eating them happily (with all the hidden vegetables inside), I felt like I had found a great solution to our dinner situation. A quick, easy, convenient and tasty balanced meal!
When I came back home to South Africa, I thought I could offer the same kind of convenience here. I wanted to make a common dish in a Chinese household, a staple in all South African homes. It’s healthy and delicious Chinese food that can easily be prepared at home and enjoyed with your family and friends.

3. What does Home Bao specialise in? What are your most popular items?

Home Bao specialises in frozen dumplings and potstickers.
Each flavour is colour coded by making use of fresh vegetable puree without any colourants (Green is from spinach, red is from beetroot and yellow from carrot). Our most popular item is Ritzy Prawn (yellow), otherwise try our taster box to get a variety of all flavours in variety of colours.

4. Why are you proud of Home Bao?

I created Home Bao because of my Dad. He made me fearless in life to start my own business. My dad’s last words to his children were “if you live a life without fear then your death is one without regret.” In introducing a new food concept to South Africa without much assurance on how well it will be accepted, I feel that I have done just that with Home Bao.

5. Is Home Bao proudly South African and proudly Chinese?

Home Bao encapsulates the spirit of being proudly South African Chinese. Being Chinese, I understand the value and the importance of family and family gatherings. Food plays a vital role at these events. Not only because the food is tasty, but it is also the way that Chinese families express their love (through their dishes). Proudly South African because it’s where I call home and where I want to introduce what I have learned in Taiwan to South Africa.

6. What are your hopes for Home Bao?

We want the Home Bao range to expand to all freezer friendly Asian dishes such as spring rolls, where it’s convenient for South Africans to do the final preparation at home and enjoy it with family.