Multiple "Liu Wenxiang" Stores Across Locations Shut Down Under Investigation!

“If everyone in the world criticizes you, I’ll take you to eat ‘Liu Wenxiang’…”

A catchy line that made this spicy hotpot brand go viral in early 2026.

On March 14, the topic “Liu Wenxiang duck meat sold as pork and beef” trended on social media. After an investigation, multiple Liu Wenxiang stores were found to have issues such as substandard ingredients and confusing labeling.

It was reported that a Liu Wenxiang store in Xiamen, Fujian, labeled fat beef rolls as beef/pork on delivery platforms, and staff claimed they were beef, but the product packaging actually showed duck meat.

A store in Zhangzhou, Fujian, also had violations. Staff told customers that black pepper meat strips, Minnan meat soup, and oyster sauce meat slices were pork, and fat beef rolls were beef, but upon checking the kitchen ingredient list, it was found that these ingredients were mainly duck meat.

After some stores were pointed out for problems, staff verbally promised to inform consumers truthfully, but later continued to mislead new customers, with superficial整改.

In response to the criticism, one staff member even argued, “The beef weighs three or four jin, but we only sell twenty-one jin. Do you think it’s pure beef?”

Besides substandard ingredients, the labeling of ingredients at Liu Wenxiang spicy hotpot is also very inconsistent. Items like fiery steak and spicy meat slices are labeled as beef or pork on online platforms, but staff at physical stores admitted they are actually duck meat. This store has thousands of orders per month.

Even more absurd, the same oyster sauce meat slices are labeled as chicken or duck on different delivery platforms, making it unclear whether they are chicken or duck.

When confronted with incorrect ingredient labels, stores made excuses such as “no time to change,” “platform operation error,” or “headquarters used the wrong images.”

According to reports, as a chain with over 2,800 franchise stores nationwide, Liu Wenxiang expanded rapidly under internet fame but neglected quality control. Independent procurement made it difficult to standardize ingredient quality. The headquarters lacked effective supervision over labeling standards and business practices, leading to chaos.

Additionally, a video released by the Urumqi High-tech Zone Market Supervision on March 14, showing a surprise inspection of Liu Wenxiang, sparked widespread sharing online, with concerning现场 conditions.

Earlier media reports indicated that some Liu Wenxiang stores, due to surging orders, ran out of supplies like corn flour, potato flour, and spicy mix, with unclear restocking times. Liu Wenxiang only mandated specific procurement for base ingredients and a few specialty noodles; other ingredients were purchased by franchisees themselves.

Meanwhile, food safety issues at Liu Wenxiang hotpot frequently appear on social media. A search for “Liu Wenxiang” on a complaint platform yielded 859 complaints.

On the evening of March 14, market regulators in multiple regions in Fujian launched inspections of Liu Wenxiang stores. Some stores involved have been ordered to make immediate corrections. The market supervision department stated they will strictly investigate false advertising and counterfeit products, and conduct comprehensive inspections of all chain stores in the area.

Compiled from China Youth Daily, First Help Group, @Urumqi High-tech Zone Market Supervision, netizens’ comments, and other sources.

Source: CCTV News