MYKA opens Asian flagship in Hong Kong’s Central district as founders discuss franchise expansion and daily production standards

Spanish Greek frozen yoghurt brand MYKA opened its first Asian flagship on Wellington Street in Hong Kong’s Central district in September 2026. According to an interview with its founders published by the Hong Kong Economic Times on 10 November, the brand has expanded into 17 countries. The Hong Kong store’s implementation of global production standards offers a case study for the local franchise community in how an overseas brand enters the market.

Hong Kong becomes the brand’s first Asian flagship location

MYKA was founded in Madrid in 2023 by Natalia Morales and Javier Ezquerro. The report said the opening of its first Central store drew queues, with some customers waiting an hour.

Javier Ezquerro said Hong Kong was chosen for the brand’s first Asian flagship because of its food culture and international customer base. He also highlighted local consumers’ appreciation of flavour, health and quality. Central’s dining scene was another consideration behind the choice of Wellington Street.

The opening crowds indicate interest in the new brand, but should not be taken as a direct measure of long-term operating performance or franchise returns.

In-store kitchen delivers global production standards

Natalia Morales trained in pâtisserie at Le Cordon Bleu and studied under Pierre Hermé. She said the idea behind MYKA was to bring the craftsmanship and precision of French pâtisserie to Greek frozen yoghurt.

According to Morales, the brand does not use conventional industrial powdered mixes. Instead, its recipe uses Greek yoghurt, goat’s milk kefir and live probiotic cultures.

The Hong Kong flagship has a production kitchen where frozen yoghurt and handmade toppings are prepared daily in line with the brand’s global standards. Its in-store experience therefore depends not only on décor and product names, but also on on-site production processes.

Franchise expansion depends on ingredients and consistent execution

Asked how the brand maintains quality as its franchise network expands, Natalia Morales stressed clear standards and consistent implementation. She said the brand requires all raw ingredients to be traceable.

The ingredients she cited included Sicilian pistachios, Madagascan vanilla, cocoa and orange blossom honey. Handmade toppings include hazelnut brittle and sea salt chocolate biscuit crumbs.

For those assessing franchise opportunities in Hong Kong, these arrangements underline the importance of looking beyond market buzz to understand ingredient sourcing, production equipment and staff training requirements. When assessing the size of a global store network, investors should also distinguish between outlets already trading and those still planned, rather than treating them all as operational stores.

Philippines next, while Hong Kong franchise arrangements require separate verification

Javier Ezquerro revealed that MYKA’s next market will be the Philippines, with further expansion planned into Italy, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. These are the brand’s announced expansion plans, not confirmation that stores in those markets are already trading.

The brand’s use of franchising globally does not necessarily mean that its Hong Kong flagship is franchised, or that franchise opportunities in Hong Kong are open to individual investors. These are separate questions.

In practical terms, investors interested in approaching the brand should first verify its licensing and franchise recruitment arrangements in Hong Kong. They should then clarify responsibilities for daily production, ingredient traceability and training, rather than basing an investment decision solely on opening-day queues.