Banu controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2025
Founder's remark about spending on a 5,000-yuan monthly salary sparked controversy; response said his meaning was distorted
In 2025, Du Zhongbing's remarks at an industry event about income and hot pot spending sparked controversy and were criticized as lacking respect for consumers. He and the organizers explained that they had emphasized ingredient quality, costs, and spending within one's means, and said the widely circulated wording distorted his meaning. This item is a public-relations remark controversy and is not regarded as the brand actually setting an income threshold.
2023
Chaodao high-calcium lamb rolls tested positive for duck-derived ingredients; stores suspended for rectification and compensation announced
In September 2023, lamb rolls sold at Banu's Chaodao self-service hot pot brand were suspected of adulteration, and subsequent testing reports detected both sheep-derived and duck-derived ingredients. Banu apologized, ordered the stores involved to suspend operations for rectification, and announced a consumer compensation plan totaling 8.354 million yuan. The incident centered on Chaodao products and stores under the Banu group.
2023
High-priced selenium-enriched potatoes and selenium content claims sparked controversy; product delisted and renamed
In 2023, the portion size and pricing of Banu's potatoes sparked discussion. The brand later said that processing and soaking had caused some batches to fall short of selenium content standards, and delisted the selenium-enriched potatoes. The founder subsequently announced a switch to the name Ulanqab potatoes while maintaining the related price. The controversy involved pricing, the basis for ingredient claims, and disclosure.