"Admitted to Years of Ingredient Deception"... China Shocked by Street Vendor Who Built a Million-Yuan Success Story

Famous Street Vendor Near Chinese Universities Faces Ingredient Controversy
"Switched to Duck Legs Due to Goose Supply Shortage"

A street vendor who became famous in China as the "Goose Leg Auntie" has admitted to using cheap duck legs instead of goose legs for years, sparking controversy.

Chen Xiufeng, invited speaker at the Peking University Women Entrepreneurship Forum in March 2024. Weibo of Peking University, China

On June 16 (local time), the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, "A well-known street vendor in Beijing, known as the 'Goose Leg Auntie,' is under suspicion for selling duck legs disguised as goose legs."

According to the report, Ms. Chen's goose legs became a campus icon. Students from Peking University and Tsinghua University competed to invite her to sell near their campuses, demonstrating her popularity.

Ms. Chen secured a loyal customer base by selling grilled goose legs through social media reservations at 16 yuan (approximately KRW 3,600) each.

In March 2024, Ms. Chen was also invited as a speaker at the Peking University Women Entrepreneurship Forum. At the time, she emphasized "rules and quality," stating that trust is the foundation of business. She was later recognized as a successful small business entrepreneur and reportedly even planned to expand her business into Beijing's central business district.

However, on June 9, an anonymous consumer claimed that Ms. Chen had been selling duck legs instead of goose legs, which triggered the controversy. Subsequently, Ms. Chen acknowledged the claim as true through a group chat announcement, but insisted that it was not an act of fraud.

In an interview with Yangtze Evening News, Ms. Chen explained that she had substituted duck legs for goose legs for several years due to difficulties in sourcing goose legs. She said, "'Goose Leg Auntie' is now a widely recognized brand name and does not literally refer to the actual ingredient," adding, "If I used real goose legs, the price per piece would exceed 30 yuan (about KRW 6,800)."

According to local media in China, the price of frozen goose in the Beijing area is about 10 to 13 yuan per piece, while the wholesale price of frozen duck legs is around 3.5 yuan.

As these facts became known, consumers reacted with backlash. One university student said, "Knowing that the snack that accompanied my school years was not actually goose leg makes me feel betrayed and at a loss," demanding refunds and compensation.

On the other hand, some students defended Ms. Chen, arguing that she continued selling even on cold winter nights to avoid disappointing her customers, and that it would have been unrealistic to expect real goose legs at that price.

According to local media, even after deducting labor and rent, Ms. Chen is estimated to have earned up to 600,000 yuan (about KRW 135 million) annually. She has also reportedly registered the "Goose Leg Auntie" trademark in various fields, including food.

In an interview with local media, a lawyer from Fengguo Law Firm in Zhejiang Province analyzed that, based on the currently available circumstances and evidence, Ms. Chen's actions are highly likely to constitute civil fraud.

As the controversy grew, local market regulators also launched an investigation on June 11 to determine whether there was any consumer deception. It has been reported that Peking University deleted posts related to Ms. Chen's participation in the women entrepreneurship forum.

In an interview with Chinese media outlet Hongxing News, Ms. Chen stated that she is cooperating fully with the investigation and would like to apologize to the students. She also said she would take responsibility and accept any related measures according to the authorities' judgment.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.