As the Spring Festival approaches, HungryPanda delivery riders can be seen across the streets of London, bringing a taste of Chinese New Year to local communities. Founded by Kelu Liu, a 2016 alumnus of the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC), the food delivery platform now operates in more than 80 cities across 10 countries and regions, including the UK, France, Australia and the United States. It serves over six million users worldwide and has achieved a valuation of several hundred million US dollars. Liu’s entrepreneurial idea stemmed from his reflections on the challenges of finding familiar food while studying abroad in the UK.
Supported by UNNC’s ‘2+2’ programme model, Liu completed the latter part of his undergraduate studies at the University of Nottingham in the UK, where he began his entrepreneurial journey. His education at UNNC and in the UK provided him with a strong foundation in business logic and digital technologies, as well as valuable insights into local consumer behaviour. After graduating, he introduced China’s well-established food delivery models to the UK and other international markets, adapting them to local needs and contributing to the sector’s development.
During last year’s APEC meetings, Liu was named to the 2025 Asia-Pacific Outstanding Young Leaders (U30) list.
Published on 31 January 2026