Zero-waste bulk food and eco-friendly product retailer Live Zero in Hong Kong to open new flagship store, part of founder’s fresh strategy

Live Zero founder Tamsin Thornburrow had to rethink her business after in-store sales fell during the coronavirus pandemic and many customers left Hong Kong

Its new combined warehouse and flagship store in Quarry Bay will allow Live Zero to host events to educate residents about plastic-free, zero-waste living

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Bulk-food dispensers and other food products ready for customers at Live Zero’s soon-to-open flagship store in Quarry Bay, Hong Kong.

Published: 11:45am, 18 Jun 2022

In 2017, Tamsin Thornburrow had a vision to bring more visibility to the concept of bulk food stores, as well as more eco-friendly and plastic-free products.

Live Zero began as a small, rustic boutique in Sai Ying Pun, in Hong Kong’s Western district, and quickly garnered a cult following. Shortly after that, Thornburrow launched a separate store, Live Zero Bulk Beauty, selling organic and plastic-free beauty products, from essential oils to unrefined cocoa butters.

This July, she will launch the third and largest branch of Live Zero in Quarry Bay, in Eastern district, which will feature wares from her brand Thorn & Burrow, as well as bulk foods, beauty and household products.

Located in an industrial warehouse space a few minutes walk from Tai Koo MTR station, the de facto flagship store features large islands with shelves stacked with items such as kitchenware and fabrics, and deep wooden barrels filled with loose grains and pulses, in addition to a growing collection of water bottles and other reusables.

Live Zero’s flagship store in Quarry Bay will sell wholesale dried goods, as well as beauty and household products.

“In 2021, we closed down our beauty bulk store concept in Sai Ying Pun, and at the same time, a few staff members left Hong Kong,” says Thornburrow. “We were down to half our headcount, running a lean team at that point. It was probably the most difficult time for me since we opened in 2017.” A lot of Live Zero’s long-time customers have also left, or are in the process of leaving, Hong Kong, she says.

Thornburrow took stock and rethought the business. “I broke it down, it was sink or swim. We were in desperate need of a warehouse space; however, we couldn’t open up a warehouse until we had another retail store – and vice versa.” This conundrum resulted in her selecting a mixed-use commercial building in which to build both in one location.