Who owns KFC in South Africa? The answer lies in a complex business structure where Yum! Brands, Inc. is the parent company, operating through a franchise model in the country. The local franchise is managed by KFC South Africa (KFC SA), which oversees one of the most successful KFC markets globally.
The story of KFC begins with Colonel Harland Sanders in 1940 Kentucky, USA, where he perfected his secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices – a formula still used today.
Before creating this culinary empire, Sanders worked various jobs, from a steam engine stoker to an insurance salesman, eventually selling his first fried chicken from a roadside restaurant in North Corbin, Kentucky.
KFCs Entry Into South Africa
KFC’s journey in South Africa started in 1971 with its first branch in Orange Grove, Johannesburg.
The brand has since grown exponentially, becoming the country’s largest fast-food chain with 1,052 stores. This impressive network makes South Africa the fifth-largest KFC market globally, surpassing even developed nations like the United Kingdom and Germany.
The company’s path in South Africa hasn’t been without challenges. During the Apartheid era, international sanctions forced KFC to divest its outlets and trademarks to a South African holding company, Devco, in 1987. However, after sanctions were lifted in 1994, the company reclaimed its assets and continued its expansion.
Today, of the 1,052 stores in South Africa, only 49 are directly owned by the company, while 1,003 operate under the franchise model. The brand’s success is evident in its customer base, with approximately 10 million South Africans visiting KFC at least once every four weeks.
Debonairs Pizza: A South African Success Story
Some notable achievements of KFC South Africa include:
- Using exclusively South African-sourced chicken
- Feeding 150,000 children daily through the KFC Add Hope programme
- Selling over 13,147km worth of chicken wings annually
- Operating the largest sports development initiative in the country through its mini-cricket programme
The question of who owns KFC in South Africa reflects a successful partnership between global corporate ownership through Yum! Brands and local franchise operations, creating one of the most impressive KFC markets worldwide.
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