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China's 'goose leg auntie' in hot water for using duck meat China’s ‘goose leg auntie’ in hot water for using duck meat Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments As goose legs can cost more than double the price of duck in China, many online accused her of deliberately misleading consumers for profit. PHOTO: REUTERS Published Jun 12, 2026, 08:20 PM Updated Jun 12, 2026, 09:11 PM Listen BEIJING – A viral Chinese food merchant dubbed “goose leg auntie”, famed for her roadside barbecue, has sparked a national scandal after she admitted that for years she had in fact been selling cheaper duck meat. The vendor, whose real name is Chen Xiufeng, sent shockwaves across the Chinese internet when she wrote on social media late on June 9 that someone had complained about the discrepancy. “From now on, I will write it clearly for everyone,” said Chen, who has since halted sales and is now the subject of a regulatory investigation. Millions reacted in anger on social media platform Weibo, drawing the attention of local market regulators, who launched a probe on June 11 for “suspected misleading of consumers”. “False advertising and huge profits,” one Weibo user complained, s…

Goose, Goose, Duck: The Unmaking of a Beijing Street Food Legend Subscribe to our newsletter FOLLOW US For years, students at some of Beijing’s most prestigious universities lined up for the roasted goose snacks sold by a street vendor known simply as “Auntie Goose Legs.” This week, she admitted the legs were actually duck, upending a campus legend and prompting an official investigation. The controversy erupted after screenshots circulated online of a message Chen Xiufeng, the vendor behind the nickname, posted in a customer group chat. She acknowledged that the roasted legs she sold were made from duck rather than goose after a customer filed a complaint with local authorities. The disclosure stunned many of her followers. According to domestic media reports, a goose leg typically costs around 11 yuan ($1.50) wholesale, compared with about 5 yuan for a duck leg, fueling accusations that customers had been misled. The backlash was amplified by Chen’s unusual status. The 56-year-old became a minor celebrity in 2023 among students at elite universities including Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Renmin University of China, where competition for her roasted legs helpe…

China ‘Goose Leg Auntie’ celebrated for street snacks slammed for using inexpensive duck legs China’s “Goose Leg Auntie” has come under fire after allegedly selling cheaper duck legs as raw materials. Chen Xiufeng, a 56-year-old street vendor in Beijing, built a loyal following with her 16 yuan (US$2) roast “goose legs”, promoted through social media pre-order groups. After arriving in Beijing in 2000 to sell fruit outside university gates, Chen later became known as “Goose Leg Auntie” because students queued at night for her popular goose leg snack. Students from two top universities...

'Goose Leg Auntie' Under Investigation After Customers Allege She Sold ... A beloved street food vendor, known as "Goose Leg Auntie," who rose to fame in 2023 for selling popular goose legs near Beijing's top universities, is now under investigation after being accused of selling duck legs instead. The vendor, Chen Xiufeng, first gained attention when she ran a small stall near Peking University's southwest gate. Her freshly made goose legs became a campus sensation, with students lining up for hours. Soon, her business expanded to Renmin University of China, China Agricultural University, and even the upscale Beijing CBD area. Chen was widely portrayed in Chinese media as a hardworking and honest woman who woke up early and worked late to provide students with delicious, freshly prepared goose legs. She was even invited by Peking University's Innovation Academy to share her life story at the university's Centennial Hall in March 2024. However, controversy erupted after Chen herself posted an announcement in her Beijing CBD sales group, saying she had been reported by a customer. She admitted: "The raw material is duck legs. I will make it clear in the future." She added, "The …

Goose, Goose, Duck: The Unmaking of a Beijing Street Food Legend Subscribe to our newsletter FOLLOW US For years, students at some of Beijing’s most prestigious universities lined up for the roasted goose snacks sold by a street vendor known simply as “Auntie Goose Legs.” This week, she admitted the legs were actually duck, upending a campus legend and prompting an official investigation. The controversy erupted after screenshots circulated online of a message Chen Xiufeng, the vendor behind the nickname, posted in a customer group chat. She acknowledged that the roasted legs she sold were made from duck rather than goose after a customer filed a complaint with local authorities. The disclosure stunned many of her followers. According to domestic media reports, a goose leg typically costs around 11 yuan ($1.50) wholesale, compared with about 5 yuan for a duck leg, fueling accusations that customers had been misled. The backlash was amplified by Chen’s unusual status. The 56-year-old became a minor celebrity in 2023 among students at elite universities including Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Renmin University of China, where competition for her roasted legs helpe…

'Goose leg auntie' admits popular snack was duck, sparking backlash By Zou Shuo | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2026-06-11 14:55 Beijing's market regulators have launched an official probe into the street vendor known as "goose leg auntie" after she admitted that the popular grilled legs she has sold for years are actually made from duck. "We are verifying conduct suspected of misleading consumers and will handle the case according to the law," the Haidian district administration for market regulation said on Thursday, adding that authorities have immediately launched an investigation and questioned individuals involved. The announcement came after Chen Xiufeng, 56, the vendor behind the nickname, confessed in a customer group chat that she had switched from goose legs to duck legs more than a decade ago but kept the name "goose leg auntie." Hashtags related to the incident quickly went viral on Chinese social media on Wednesday, drawing widespread criticism and calls for stronger consumer protection. Chen rose to fame in late 2023 when students from Peking University, Tsinghua University and Renmin University of China were seen lining up for hours at her s…