It smells repulsive but tastes delicious. Some people love it, some people hate it, and it's the staple dish of one of China's most successful food chains. If every city has its unique taste, the one that defines Changsha, the capital of central China's Hunan province, is stinky tofu.

Using the allure of the confounding food, Lu Lucheng, CEO of Hey Hey Black, transformed his business from a street stall in 2009 into a food chain with more than 1,800 stores nationwide.

Stinky tofu is made after soybeans undergo various processes such as sifting, soaking, grinding, filtering, boiling and fermentation. They become raw bean curd, soaked in brine, emitting a pungent smell that makes people frown and cover their noses.

Despite these setbacks, Lu's company sells more than 800,000 pieces of stinky tofu daily, making it a representative of local Changsha cuisine.

The company's sales revenue reached more than 500 million yuan ($69 million) last year, meaning it has recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, Lu said.