On a Mission

Being Neighbourly x Jo Soo-Tang, r é n

Author/ Being Neighbourly
27 August 2025

I believe in proactive behaviour and building strong relationships. It’s important to seek out mentors who can guide you and provide valuable insights. And, most importantly, to stay curious,” shares Jo Soo-Tang, founder of r é n, a social enterprise which uses food to uplift disadvantaged youth. Its mission is to provide young people with meaningful, sustainable opportunities that transform their futures and simultaneously challenge the way Hong Kong talks about inclusion.

The woman-around-town has become a force for good, leveraging her privileged upbringing in Hong Kong and Sydney, and education and work experience in marketing and communications, to do work that really matters to her.

In an about-turn, it is now she who has become a mentor to others, with IG followers in the thirty-thousands, to whom many now turn for insights and advice.

“At a certain stage in life, you want to accomplish things in your own way, without too many external influences,” she says, of the impetus behind r é n.

“We believe food isn’t just nourishment, it’s humanity. We saw a gap in the industry where talented but disadvantaged youth lack opportunities, specifically in the city’s leading kitchens and hospitality groups. The idea was simple: to use food as a medium to bring people together and open doors for those who have been left behind due to their circumstances,” she continues, adding that helping disadvantaged youth matters as, “systemic barriers don’t just limit livelihoods, they limit potential”.

Soo-Tang shares that r é n’s definition of ‘disadvantaged youth’ includes those from lower-income families, marginalized backgrounds, or those facing barriers to employment due to disability or social circumstance. With candidates referred to them through NGOs, like the Vocational Training Centre’s Shine Skills Centre, Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association and Love 21, they also welcome direct applications and referrals from social workers, schools and industry partners.

To qualify for inclusion, proof of circumstance is defined as a combination of need, readiness to enter employment and whether their network of placement partners can provide them with the right opportunities.

“Guided by our three pillars — Humanity, Goodness and Food, we curate experiences that not only raise awareness, but create real-world opportunities. GOODNESS, in particular, refers to the events and activations we run to inspire joy, build confidence and foster community,” shares Soo-Tang.

“We’ve hosted chef-led pop-ups at international schools with Sodexo, curated multiple FOOD + FILM events at restaurants with our chef advocates to fundraise for our youth programmes, and collaborated with HART Haus on art exhibitions that double as on-the-job training — where our youths are employed to help at the events,” she continues, adding that they have also organised yoga workshops at Hysan Place, in December 2024, their first community event under the R21 programme, as well as community-building activities like Surf & Dine, dodgeball events, and the R É N TEEN Pasta Workshops held at Casa Cucina. “These pasta workshops are led by chef and owner Anthony Cheung, and always include participating youths, who gain culinary and service skills at each session.”

But Soo-Tang is quick to add that their events are not just fundraisers; but platforms, connecting youth to mentors, chefs to causes and the public to a deeper understanding of inclusion, sustainability and social good.

“Everything we do is designed to make impact tangible, whether it is through food, shared experience, or real opportunity.”

She says that r é n operates on a hybrid funding model. On the one hand, they run product collaborations and pop-up activations with chefs, restaurants and lifestyle brands, including limited-run menus, chef demos and events, where proceeds directly support their youth programmes. On the other hand, they receive support from private donors, family foundations and corporates.

“A key example is our r é n eggs initiative, which features locally-sourced eggs from sustainable farms in Yuen Long,” she shares. “Thirty per cent of sales per pack of eggs goes directly towards funding our programmes, making every purchase a contribution to both environmental sustainability and social impact. Since November 2024, we have also been running a government-incubated initiative, the R21 Youth Programme, funded by SIE Fund and matched by Oxfam.”

This programme focuses on preparing underprivileged youth for careers in F&B. Through vocational training, paid work experience, job referrals and wellness activities, we equip participants with both the hard and soft skills they need to thrive. Soo-Tang adds that the programme goes beyond training by offering structured, ongoing support to ensure a smooth and sustainable transition into employment.

“Our model is mission-aligned and self-sustaining, blending social impact with culinary and cultural capital to foster inclusion, confidence and long-term opportunity.”

While Soo-Tang says her personal vision is to live a life of balance, harmony and freedom, she shares that her work goal is to achieve Section 88 charity status so r é n can support more individuals in job placements and be able to operate both their charity, r é n community foundation and their r é n social enterprise.

“We have already helped over 80 individuals with special needs, Down Syndrome, or those living in youth hostels. I really hope to continue building this community and engaging more people, especially corporates and schools.”

What is the best thing about the work that you do?

“The best advice came from Martin Spurrier, my former boss at Edelman Public Relations, who is now a retiree in the UK,” says Jo Soo-Tang, founder of r é n.

“Martin taught me how to think strategically with our clients and build connections with people from all walks of life, as you never know who might help you in the future.”

“He was also an excellent public speaker and a brilliant networker who emphasised continuous learning and treated every role as an opportunity to grow and acquire new skills.”

“I need to improve my public speaking skills, so have been participating in more speaking opportunities, and through these, continue to meet very interesting people to support r é n.”

r é n

15/F, Soundwill Plaza II-Midtown, 1-29 Tang Lung St., Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.