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 even competed to secure her exclusive presence off-campus.

In March 2024, Chen was invited to speak at a Peking University women’s entrepreneurship forum, where she championed “rules and quality” and said trust was the bedrock of her business.