Home Original Chicken Co. Ltd (simplified Chinese:老乡鸡集团;traditional Chinese:老鄉雞集團;pinyin:Lǎoxiāng jī jítuán "Hometown Chicken") is a Chinese fast food chain headquartered inHefei,Anhui.[1]
Shu Congxuan (simplified Chinese:束从轩;traditional Chinese:束從軒) founded the company and, as of 2013, is its director. As of that year, it was the largest fast-food company in Anhui Province.[2] As of 2024, the company has 1404 restaurants nationwide.[3]
Shu Congxuan, a chicken breeder, decided to start a fast food chain after attending a three-day course in 1999.[2] the company was established in 2003.[4] The chain was originally calledFEIXI The Old Hens [sic] (肥西老母鸡;Féixī lǎo mǔjī "Feixi Old Hens"), after an Anhui dish.[2] The full corporate name in Chinese was 安徽肥西老母鸡集团, and the company previously had its headquarters in the New Cityscape Plaza (新都会购物广场;Xīndūhuì Gòuwùguǎngchǎng) shopping mall in Hefei.[5][6] By 2011 the Anhui-area authorities designated the restaurant chain as a "Prestigious Chinese Brand".[4] It later moved its headquarters to another place in Hefei.[7]
In 2011 a consulting firm suggested that the restaurant chain change its name. It suggested using a three character name since a five-character name would be lengthy.[4] The change was also made because Chinese from other provinces were unfamiliar with the old name. The chain received its current name in March 2012.[2] There was an initial outcry when the names of the locations were changed, but the company continued its success after the name change.[4]
In 2015, the company has over 240 restaurants in Anhui.[8]