Zhou Black Duck is a Wuhan institution turned national phenomenon. Duck parts are slow-braised in a complex sauce of soy, rock sugar, star anise, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and dried chilies, then air-dried until the skin turns dark and glossy. Sweet first, then numbing, then spicy.
Founded in 1997 by Zhou Fuhua near Wuhan Railway Station. The secret recipe came from his grandmother. Zhou Hei Ya went public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2016 with annual revenues exceeding 4 billion yuan.