Latest store will feature sit-down dining, noodle soups and a bar as well as takeaway option as brand expands to Wood Wharf location
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“It was while I was working in finance in the City that I had the idea,” said Catherine Hua, founder of Mama Li.
“My mum has an extensive background working in Chinese restaurants and each day she would make me a packed lunch with Cantonese roast meats, rice and vegetables.
“I’d bring in food and heat it up because I didn’t really like the options around me – nowhere was offering the type of food or the quality my mum was making.
“Some of my colleagues noticed and started asking where I’d got my lunch.
“When I told them I was bringing the meals in from home, they asked whether they could get some too.
“That’s when I thought there might be something here.”
During the pandemic, Catherine’s mum was furloughed amid the uncertainty and the pair decided to start a business together, initially cooking takeaway orders from a small kitchen in Shoreditch.
“We named it after mum – it’s also what the chefs would call her in the kitchens that she worked in – and began with a small selection of rice, noodles and roast meats to see if people would like the food or not,” said Catherine.
“We had crispy pork, roast duck, soy chicken and our BBQ pork.
“We also had egg fried rice, a small selection of noodles, beansprout chow mein, Singapore noodles and a selection of other wok dishes.
“We were delivery only at that point – it was easier because we were testing an idea.
“Then, we opened our first store in Tower Hill about a year and half later.”
expanding Mama Li to Canary Wharf
Since then, the business’ five-year journey has seen it open a second branch at London Wall in the heart of the City and now a third at Canary Wharf.
The new location recently opened its doors on Wood Wharf’s Union Square – one of a multitude of independent businesses that now call the area home thanks to a collaboration between Canary Wharf Group and Tower Hamlets Council to offer companies affordable commercial space.
In addition to Mama Li, those in search of food and drink can check out Nora, Ong Lai Kopitaim, Cafe Seek, Lockdown, Supershakes and Signorelli.
Other openings include floristry from The Flower Club, Wayne Hairdresser Salon, beauty salon Awe London, Pawsome Pet Grooming And Spa, The Island Reformer Pilates Studio and clothing repair business Omnifix.
Catherine, who recently moved to the Isle Of Dogs, said Mama Li has evolved with each opening and that the brand’s latest site was an opportunity to try something new.
the evolution of a brand
“We call them stores because we were not offering a sit-down, restaurant-style table service in our first two branches,” she said.
“They’re more like a cafe. Customers order at our kiosk, go to the counter, get their food, find a seat, eat and then go.
“Of course, they can also get their meal as takeaway.
“This one is a bit of an evolution where we have introduced a sit-down dining experience with table service and a bar.
“That enables us to deliver a more extensive menu for those who want to spend a bit more time with us.
“Over the other side, we still have the to-go elements where people can order on the screens and either have a quick bite or grab their food and head off.”
Catherine remains in tune with her busy customer base, working full-time in tech as an analyst, while also running Mama Li.
Her mum continues as “the core of the business” overseeing its kitchens and operations.
“Without her, I don’t think there would be a Mama Li,” said Catherine.
“She makes sure we deliver and is constantly quality-testing to make sure everything is where it needs to be and everyone is doing what they need to do.
“She’s one of my biggest supports, as I am one of hers.
“Then there’s our incredible team, without whom we just wouldn’t be here.
“It is wild to see how far we’ve come in such a short space of time.
“I tell people this is still the beginning, but the journey has been incredible, the people we’ve met and worked with.
“I’m really grateful for the experience of building something together.”
based on the data
With a growing Asian population, opening in Canary Wharf felt like a good fit for Mama Li, but the decision to open further east was soundly based on the numbers.
“I’m a data person – every choice I make has to be backed by data,” said Catherine.
“I noticed a lot of our orders came from this area, so I thought, why not open a store nearer to our customers?
“We’ve had a lot of requests to open new branches, especially from this area.
“The opportunity for this space came up, so we thought it would be silly not to take the opportunity and run with it.
“It does make sense to be here and it’s a step in the right direction.
“We wanted to extend our footprint out of the City and Canary Wharf was the natural direction to go in, both because of our current customer base, but also the office crowd too.
“I’d love to open more stores across London and perhaps beyond, but we’ll see how this one goes first.”
‘I want to see what they think…’
For Catherine, opening on the Wharf is all about watching the impact Mama Li has.
She said: “I’m excited to see people coming, for them to try our food – both those who have not been to us before and are eating it for the first time and those who have been before and are coming again.
“I want to see what they think and then use that feedback to do even better.
“We have a menu that caters for different groups. If you’re a meat eater, then we have our signature roast meats.
“These are hung on our meat display for everyone to see and you can see our chefs in action as well.
“Every meat order is chopped to order, so you know you’re going to get the freshest slices. Presentation is key for us too, we always try to make our dishes look nice and appetising.
“With our range of Cantonese roast meats, customers can have one, two or three different types paired with rice and vegetables, which is a complete, wholesome meal – my go-to is duck and crispy pork. It’s very comforting.
“In Canary Wharf, we’ll also be offering a new menu with noodle soups. The broth is made in-house and simmered for 24 hours for the flavour.
“Again, customers will be able to choose to have different types of meats and vegetables paired with either more traditional thin, flat noodles or with a chewier, rounder variety.
“I started Mama Li because I wanted more people to experience the lunches my mum made for me.
“Having something to connect with is really important – when we were starting out, people would message us and tell us the food reminded them of home and that’s exactly what we wanted.
“I hope people will continue to connect with us and get that comfort from what we’re doing.”
key details: Mama Li
Mama Li is located on Union Square in Wood Wharf’s 3 West Lane building.
Full details including menus and opening times can be found on the brand’s website here
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