KFC

                                                                                                             

  Introduction

KFC is a chain of fast food restaurants, especially known for its fried chicken. The initials stand for “Kentucky Fried Chicken”. It’s the second largest chain after Macdonald’s: everyday, KFC serves 8 000 000 customers in more than 14 000 restaurants worldwide. It was founded in 1952 by Colonel Harland Sanders in Kentucky (east south-central region of the USA). The origins of this gigantic chain began in his roadside restaurant only to expand really quickly. Its first slogan was “finger lickin’ good” but it has now changed into “So good” and “Nobody does chicken like KFC”.

KFC is known all around the world, particularly in the USA and China which are the 2 most important markets. In 1964, England was the first country to introduce “the American chain” in Europe. At this time, it was the first fast food restaurant. Mac Donald’s, Pizza Hut and Burger King arrived 10 years after. Nowadays there are 840 KFC restaurants in the UK and Ireland and this business employs over 8,000 people. They serve over 100 million meals a year                  .

 Original Recipe

The Original Recipe remains a trade secret. There are only 5 people who know the entire recipe: Sanders’ wife Claudia, Pete Harman and his wife, and Jack C. Massey. A copy of the recipe, signed by Sanders, is kept in a safe. The few people who have a high position in the company are not allowed to travel together on the same plane for security reasons.

Products

As the initials indicate, KFC is very famous for its fried chicken.  However, the restaurants also serve other products like grilled chicken, chicken burgers, potato wedges, salads, desserts and breakfast-menus.  Moreover, apart from the traditional food of KFC in the USA, this chain adapts its menus to suit local tastes. For example, KFC in China offers products like fish, porridge and egg tarts.

 

Critics

Greenpeace accused KFC of destroying the  ^Amazon Rainforest. In fact, KFC Europe bought soybeans from the farm-produce company Cargill to feed their chickens. The problem is that Cargill deforests the Amazon Rainforest to grow their soybeans . Greenpeace then actually purchased this illegal export of soybeans to avoid the destruction of the Rainforest.

Several organizations for animals rights led by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), denounces KFC’s treatment of animals used for their products. They are criticized for mistreating their chickens with unacceptable practices: they beat them, don’t give them enough space to live in, throw them against walls, trim their beaks, break their wings/legs and then drop them into tanks of scalding-hot water while they are still alive. For all these accusations, KFC defends itself by saying it meets UK legal requirements.