Taipei City Government

The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) hosted the 2019 MOEA Brand Market, Outstanding Market, and LOHAS Stall Evaluation award ceremony on October 28.

In an effort to elevate the competitiveness of markets, the MOEA has organized the outstanding market and popular stall star-rating since 2010; this year, Taipei City snatched 364 stars with the final selection of one brand market, 11 outstanding markets, and 137 LOHAS stalls. In particular, the city’s youth LOHAS stalls have achieved phenomenal results, and many of them have received a 4-star rating. These include Creme Brulee from Shuiyuan Market, which sells eggs from its own ranch and fresh desserts baked with local food ingredients; VINA from Shidong Market, which sells premium clothing and accessories in a comfortable shopping environment; Black Mochi from Liaoning St. Open-air Market, which sells creative mochi desserts that have proven to be hugely popular on IG. These stalls have breathed new life into traditional markets, and Taipei City Market Administration Office (MAO) has also clinched the Outstanding Service Team Award for 3 consecutive years, demonstrating the commitment of the city government and the stalls.

Since 2014, the MAO has assisted night market stalls to join the Food Tracer Taipei Platform, and it also helped food and beverage stalls in public markets to disclose food ingredient-related information in 2019. In 2016, the MAO collaborated with the Department of Social Welfare to establish the Surplus Food Exchange Platform, donating surplus food to benefit the disadvantaged groups. Considering the adverse impact of disposable and melamine tableware on the environment and the public, the MAO assisted public markets, open-air market self-governing associations, and food and beverage stalls to replace them with eco-friendly glass, ceramic, porcelain, and stainless-steel tableware in 2018. In addition, in order to create a diverse, friendly market environment, as well as to increase the stalls’ willingness in investing in e-payment facilities, the MAO helped various self-governing associations and stalls to understand the benefits of cashless transactions and install the necessary equipment.

According to MAO Director Chen Ting-hui, Taipei City Government has vigorously invested resources in market revitalization and transformation by implementing the reconstruction and renovation of markets, as well as the revitalization and repurposing of assets. Furthermore, the MAO has continued to communicate with the stalls in an attempt to help them engage in modern management practices. The initiatives have garnered recognition from the judges, and as a result the MAO has won the MOEA’s Outstanding Service Team Award for 3 consecutive years.

In the future, the MAO will carry on facilitating market reconstruction projects and helping in software and management, while efforts will be made to transform the existing management model of the stalls, so as to modernize the market environment by materializing measures such as wet/dry separation and keeping litter off the ground. In doing so, the aim is to create a more pleasant, comfortable shopping space within the new markets, thereby revitalizing business at traditional markets and enhance the appeal of Taipei City.