Slowood provides plastic-free and zero-waste organic groceries in Hong Kong, including bulk plant-based personal care products and refillable household products. For us, though, we were drawn into the store by its extensive selection of dried fruits and nut-based snacks available
From the bulk containers, customers package, weigh and label the desired amounts themselves.
Chocolate
CH52 Lychee Fudge in Vegan Organic Dark Chocolate (4.4 HKD/0.88 AUD per 10 g)
Enticed by the name, we weren’t certain what to expect, but the dried lychee at the center pleasantly surprised us, offering a chewy texture and a pronounced lychee flavor. The dark chocolate exterior melted smoothly, complementing the lychee without evoking the usual associations with alcoholic chocolate often found in pairings with fruit and chocolate.
Dried Fruits
DF52 Less Sweetened Guava (4.6 HKD/0.92 AUD per 10 g)
This marked our initial encounter with dried guava. With a texture akin to dried mango, it included the skin of the green (apple) guava, imparting the tangy, slightly sour citrusy notes found in the fresh fruit. We found it to be quite enjoyable.
DF55 Less Sweetened Green Mango (4.7 HKD/0.94 AUD per 10 g)
These chewy strips of green mango captured the subtle citrusy sourness and tropical, floral aromatic flavour of the fruit. We also found it to be quite enjoyable.
DF63 Premium Soft-dried Pineapple (3.5 HKD/0.7 AUD per 10 g)
We have fond memories of soft-dried pineapple from the Far East Bazaar in Ōsaka, and while these were comparable, they fell short of the rich sweetness. Additionally, the pineapple was not cored, resulting in a very fibrous hard center that was inedible.
DF67 Gold Kiwibites (9.5 HKD/1.9 AUD per 10 g)
Following a previous disappointing experience with Hua Wei Heng Dried Kiwifruit, these certainly met the mark. The golden kiwifruit had the distinct flavor and sweetness of the fresh fruit, coupled with a semi-dried chewiness that proved to be addictive.
Freeze Dried Fruit
F08 Freeze Dried Mangosteen (1.5 HKD/0.3 AUD per gram).
These were slightly crunchy, with a bright tropical sweetness recalling pineapple and peach.
F10 Freeze Dried Longan (1.3 HKD/0.26 AUD per gram).
While these had absorbed some moisture by the time we ate them, they remained slightly crunchy, with the freeze-drying processing intensifying the mild flavour of fruit, yet remaining fresh on the palate without intensifying the smoky notes of that come through when dried.
Nuts
N37 Cilantro Glazed Cashew (6 HKD/1.2 AUD per 10 gram).
I love cilantro but found the warm, floral lemony flavour of the herb rather too subtle. Rather the nuttiness of the cashews dominated with the sweet glaze.
Snacks
E45 Spicy Peanut Brittle (5.8 HKD/1.16 AUD per 10 gram)
These were incredibly crunchy with presence of the chilli coming through immediately as a warm heat before the flavour of chilli emerged in the body and persisted into the finish.
Other Groceries
We greatly appreciated the diverse selection of fruits, nuts, and snacks available at Slowood. The ability to purchase small quantities for tasting, thus minimizing waste, was a noteworthy aspect. We look forward to returning to explore other items that pique our interest.
Slowood is located at Shop 231-233, 2/F, Central Market, 80 Des Vouex Road, Central, Hong Kong and Shop 247, Level 2, New Town Plaza I, Shatin, Hong Kong.