MANILA -- Celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival with Hong Kong’s MX Mooncake, which will set up pop-up shops in two locations in the metro.

The first pop-up store at SM Mall of Asia already opened last August 20, while the one at Unimart Capital Commons will launch on September 1. Both stores are set to sell boxes of Hong Kong’s best-selling brand of mooncakes until September 22.

“A lot of friends go to Hong Kong just to buy this brand… So when they offered the brand to us, we grabbed the opportunity,” said Jacquelyn Tan, operations manager of Corecrate international.

MX Mooncake started with the Lotus Seed Paste Mooncake with two yolks in 1987, and for 21 years has remained a market best-seller in Hong Kong. It was recognized as a Hong Kong Top Brand in 2003, and was given Hong Kong Brand Top Ten Year Achievement Award in 2012, among numerous awards.

“We have a limited range but almost everything is here, except the durian variant,” assured Tan.

Fans of mooncake can rediscover balanced richness in its traditional options (all with two salted duck egg yolks) like the Lotus seed paste, the White Lotus seed paste, and the Classic Mixed Nuts variants (P1,800 to P1,850 per box with 4 pieces).

One of the more surprising delights found in the Manila pop-up are the low (reduced) sugar options. These mooncakes (Lotus Seed Paste with Egg Yolk and White Lotus Seed Paste with Pine Nut) maybe less calorie-filled but there are no compromises in flavor and richness (P2,000 per box with 6 pieces)

If you’re looking for some added lusciousness in your mooncake-eating experience, turn to MX’s Lava and Custard series. Both products have won gold medals at this year's Monde Selection International Quality Awards, guaranteeing the highest standards in quality.

In the Lava series, the salted egg is molten, tasting of the distinct saltiness of the yolk, ideally microwaved or heated for a few seconds before eating to get that lava effect. The custard version is a sweeter, creamier version, where the egg yolk is suspended in a custard (P2,000 per box with 8 pieces).

Quality and richness are in every bite of mooncake, guaranteed with the company’s seal of excellence, including those on sale in online store Lazada until September 22, which guarantees free shipping for the first 100 customers. Online single receipt orders totaling P5,000 and above will also get an additional mini mooncake.

Feeling lucky? SM Mall of Asia buyers can play a dice game to win prizes, with those with a single receipt purchase of P5,000 also getting the chance win a mini mooncake.

Ideal luxury gifts for the season, Hong Kong MX Mooncakes are packaged in special tin boxes, decked in gold and special script. Mooncakes are also available in single packs (P600) and group packs (also assorted options at P1,900++).

“It’s the same packaging that is in Hong Kong. They’re very careful and each box is labeled as imported and made in Hong Kong,” said Tan.