Conservation activists gatecrashed the opening of a Shake Shack burger joint pop-up at Central’s IFC building on Saturday.
The demonstrators were protesting the US chain’s partnership with Hong Kong firm Maxims over their use of shark fin at local restaurants.
The three WildAid activists staged a silent protest with placards before being confronted by Shake Staff staff and removed by security.
Shark fin soup is a popular item on set menus for large banquet gatherings – especially during weddings or Chinese New Year. Finning involves the removal of fins from sharks whilst the animal is still alive. They are sometimes then dumped back into the ocean where they die of starvation as they are unable to swim properly, according to NGO WWF.
Citing a Shake Shack slogan, WildAid said in a tweet: “We’re calling on them to Stand For Something Good® by ditching their #shark killer partner Maxim’s.”
In a letter to its founders last Wednesday, the NGO urged Shake Shake to encourage Maxims to “to drop cruel, dirty, unsustainable, and often criminal shark fin trade with immediate effect.”
Maxim’s has previously said it “take[s] responsibility in sustainable sourcing while continuing to respond to our customers’ changing preferences.”
Shake Shack did not respond to HKFP’s enquiries.
