Stay Hungry: Taking over the takeaway market with Kelu Liu

"As an international student, food played an important role in making me feel at home," Kelu recalls. "One of the biggest challenges I faced was finding authentic Chinese food on mainstream delivery platforms. I saw a clear gap between what international students needed and what was available."

That first step was bolstered by the university's entrepreneurial ecosystem, particularly the Ingenuity Lab, which provided crucial early support. The venture received early validation when it won the Vice Chancellor's Entrepreneurial Potential Prize at Ingenuity17, providing Kelu and his team with an early boost to their young business.

"Looking back, I am very grateful for Nottingham's supportive environment, which gave me the confidence to take this first step. The Vice-Chancellor’s prize was a huge encouragement for me at the early stage of my business, and I will always appreciate the support from the university."

Within three years of launching, the company had expanded into France, New Zealand, the US and Australia, and in February 2020, HungryPanda raised $20m of funding from investors. But it was the events of March that year which led to the biggest growth for the app - the Covid-19 pandemic saw demand for food delivery services surge, and HungryPanda was well placed to provide home comforts for the millions of people worldwide experiencing lockdowns.

“Covid changed the food delivery industry in many ways - the demand for online food ordering increased dramatically, and more people started relying on delivery services for their daily meals. Many customers needed a convenient way to access familiar and comforting food during the pandemic, which helped us grow rapidly.”

The platform now serves as a vital link between Asian restaurants and overseas communities, helping traditional establishments navigate the digital economy while providing customers with authentic cuisine from home. Kelu’s aim is to be the go-to platform for overseas Chinese communities worldwide.

Today, HungryPanda employs over 1,000 people and Liu's calendar is filled with more than 50 international business trips annually. And while this doesn’t leave much time to maintain a work-life balance, Kelu doesn’t mind being busy.

“I love what I do, and I find great fulfillment in seeing our platform help customers, delivery riders, and restaurant partners. Seeing HungryPanda grow, expanding our team, and launching new services gives me motivation every day. As long as I enjoy my work, I don’t feel the need to balance it with my personal life.”

Liu's daily routine reflects his commitment to growth. He dedicates at least 30 minutes each day to exercise or meditation, preparing for worst-case scenarios while setting "almost impossible goals" that push beyond conventional thinking. For him, entrepreneurship is fundamentally about problem-solving.

"You have to be prepared to face difficulties every day, but if you keep pushing forward, you will eventually find the right path." His approach to business challenges is methodical: share ideas widely, embrace criticism, and refine continuously. Before taking action, he poses a simple but powerful question: "Will I regret not trying?"

His advice for aspiring entrepreneurs? "Find something you are passionate about, stay focused, and turn challenges into opportunities. If you stay persistent and do what you love, everything else will follow. But if you try to do everything at once, you may end up achieving nothing."

As HungryPanda continues its global expansion, Kelu's story serves as a reminder that some of the most successful businesses start with a simple observation and the courage to act on it.