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KFC goes to Kenya; first U.S. fast-food chain in E. Africa

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R

Ripclawe

Banned
http://www.usatoday.com/money/indus...rst-US-fast-food-chain-in-E-Africa/50108550/1
NAIROBI, Kenya – You can't buy a Big Mac in Kenya. There are no Burger Kings. But there's good news for chicken lovers: KFC just opened its first restaurant in East Africa.

The shiny red-and-white KFC in the new wing of an established Nairobi mall is the first American fast food outlet in East Africa's most developed economy, and there are indications its entrance could herald a rush of U.S. chains into this untouched but potentially lucrative landscape.

The major reason that neither golden arches or Whoppers are found in Nairobi is concern over the supply chain. KFC investors worked with a Kenyan chicken supplier for more than a year to bring it up to the quality control standards demanded by KFC's parent company, Yum Brands (YUM), based in Louisville, Ky.

The restaurant's Aug. 11 opening was met with long lines of enthusiastic customers. Some waited up to 90 minutes to be served.

At 2 p.m. Tuesday, about 40 people stood in a single line that flowed to five cash registers. Most of the restaurant's 100 seats were filled.

Customers Zahir and Rahat Lalji smiled as they ate a Zinger sandwich and a two-piece chicken meal. Rahat Lalji said she had been anticipating the opening for months.

"We really appreciate that this KFC came to Kenya after many years. We're really happy it's here," said Zahir Lalji, a 36-year-old in the transportation business who studied in Canada and worked at a McDonald's there.

"We're hoping McDonald's will come in," he said. "Pizza Hut, Dunkin' Donuts. It's an open market for those with investment capital."

Gavin Bell, the restaurant's general manager, said KFC's Kenyan chicken supplier — Kenchic — had to make more policy and procedural changes in the last year than in the company's first 20, including ensuring that the chicken was kept cold "from farm to fork" and that supplies could be easily traced in the event of recalls. Calls to Kenchic for interviews were not answered.

"Those are tall orders for companies that haven't based themselves on that," Bell said. "Those are standard practice in Europe, America, Australia. However in this part of the world we are raising the benchmarks of the supply chain, and the hospitality standards at the same time."

David Kincheloe, president of the U.S. group National Restaurant Consultants, said he began looking into a KFC franchise in Kenya for a different investor 2 years ago, but the biggest obstacle was the supply chain. Kincheloe said it's logical that KFC is paving the way for more U.S. brands.

"Yum Brands is working their way into the African market," he said, referring to KFC's parent company. "Once you're able to get KFC in and you're able to work out the issues with the supply chain maybe you'll see a Long John Silver's, a Pizza Hut, a Taco Bell."

The Nairobi KFC investor group includes a man whose family owns 40 KFC restaurants in South Africa, and there are plans for expansion here. Two more KFCs are slated to open in Nairobi this year, and Bell said the group wants to open 15 restaurants in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in the next three years.

Bell said he believes McDonald's doesn't want to be left out of East Africa. "It's only a matter of time … and a matter of finding the right partnership for the brand, the franchisee and the franchisor," he said of a possible McDonald's entry. McDonald's didn't return a call seeking comment.

The national chairman of the Kenyan National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Laban Onditi, said the fact that KFC chose to open in Kenya first, among all other East African countries, shows the country is an investment destination.

"In Kenya there is still a very virgin market that has not been fully tapped," he said.

Kenya does have fast food restaurants from South Africa, like the hamburger restaurant Steers. It also has Pizza Inn and Chicken Inn, but no American chains until now.

Chicken Inn is where Albunus Kithokoi was working until he landed a job as a KFC manager. His training included more than three months working at KFC outlets in South Africa. When the 37-year-old opened the restaurant's glass doors for business, he folded them up near a sign explaining how Colonel Sanders opened his first restaurant in Kentucky in 1939.

"This is a brand that everyone knows. They say the queue is long, but it's worth it. They don't mind the wait," Kithokoi said.

Among the many groups of children at KFC was Beverly Onyango, who turned 12 on Tuesday. Onyango, who has done quite a bit of international travel and is familiar with American fast food, named KFC as her favorite restaurant. She's eaten at outlets in Dubai and Thailand, but is happy to finally have one in Nairobi.

"Not having to go somewhere else is good," she said.
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shoplifter

shoplifter

Member
Is this the part where we talk about black people and fried chicken?

It's a shame it wasn't White Castle or In-n-Out.
 
R

RBH

Member
It's interesting to read about the responses of foreign nations to the introduction of U.S. fast food chains and how they value those kinds of places alot more than Americans right now. Of course, those people will probably develop that same kind of indifference about fast food chains over time like we did, but it's interesting nontheless to see how different cultures view these types of establishments.
 
T

Tabris

Member
My biggest problem with KFC is they charge a $4 delivery fee (in Canada) and the drivers still expect a tip. So unless you got a huge gathering of people you want to feed, it's just not worth it unless you go pick it up which defeats the purpose and you may as well just eat in a good restaurant.
 
P

PartlyCloudlike

Member
Noel Gallagher took a private jet out from the Caribbean for some KFC. Once it has a hold on you, it don't let go.

http://www.contactmusic.com/news-article/noel-gallagher.s-expensive-fast-food

OASIS songwriter NOEL GALLAGHER was so hungry for a cheap meal deal from KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN, he hired a private plane to take him to his favourite fast-food haunt.

The WONDERWALL hitmaker was holidaying in the Caribbean with ex-wife MEG MATHEWS - when the pair were still together - when Noel's craving for deep fried chicken got out of control.

Meg, the mother of Noel's daughter ANAIS, laughs, "When I was with Noel we spent a month in Mustique. He was writing and had turned the spare room into a studio.

"The place was perfect - hot sun, great beaches, fantastic food and just about anything you could ask for - except Kentucky Fried Chicken. Not surprisingly, there wasn't one there."
So to satisfy the diva-like demands of the rock wildman, a plane was hired to fetch Noel his food.

Meg explains, "He had a big thing about KFC so we flew to St Vincent to get some. It sounds ridiculous flying somewhere for a KFC, though it's only an eight-minute flight so it wasn't quite as extravagant as it sounds.

"Still, taking two flights to get a $1.58 (99p) meal is a bit over-the-top."
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K

Kusagari

Member
Tabris said:
My biggest problem with KFC is they charge a $4 delivery fee (in Canada) and the drivers still expect a tip. So unless you got a huge gathering of people you want to feed, it's just not worth it unless you go pick it up which defeats the purpose and you may as well just eat in a good restaurant.
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What the fuck? KFC in Canada delivers?
 
P

PartlyCloudlike

Member
Alligatorjandro said:
Give them some Churches instead
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Uggh. At one point Popeyes and Church's were owned by the same company. I'm so glad they never consolidated the two. I always found Church's to be bland. Their biscuits were tasty though.
 
A

Alligatorjandro

Banned
PartlyCloudlike said:
Uggh. At one point Popeyes and Church's were owned by the same company. I'm so glad they never consolidated the two. I always found Church's to be bland. Their biscuits were tasty though.
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You just cant handle Churches.
 
P

PartlyCloudlike

Member
GillianSeed79 said:
Yeah right. Next thing you know he'll tell us Canada has free healthcare.

Seriously, though, KFC delivers in Canada?
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KFC used to deliver in the US. There was this giant marketing campaign for it too. Went something like "OOH, a home cooked meal delivered right to your door!" But they couldn't make a dent in the pizza delivery monopoly so they gave up.
 
B

besada

Banned
GillianSeed79 said:
Yeah right. Next thing you know he'll tell us Canada has free healthcare.

Seriously, though, KFC delivers in Canada?
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I used to deliver for KFC in the U.S. I don't know if they still do delivery anymore.
 
S

smurfx

get some go again
Alligatorjandro said:
You just cant handle Churches.
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churches is the greasiest chicken you can eat. it doesn't taste that good either. nothing about it makes me want to go back.
 
T

Tabris

Member
The guy was joking about the chicken in a bag. It's delivered in a paper bucket.

I never understood the bagged milk thing as it's only an east coast thing and even then I don't think it's that common. It shouldn't be associated with Canada but Ontario/Quebec. Think of it like a "southern" tradition for you guys.
 
O

OpinionatedCyborg

Member
the whole fried chicken and watermelon being loved by blacks is silly

if anything, the stereotype should be for the chinese

I swear to god, there are 5 story KFCs in China. and they are always full. and the streets are filled with fresh fruit, including massive watermelons.

there's really no shame in loving fried chicken and watermelon... pretty much every one does... KFC and watermelon should unite us, not divide us. you find me a creature, man or beast, that doesn't like fried chicken and watermelon and I will give you a million dollars. go ahead, bro
 
E

evilhomer

Member
KFC is often one of the first to expand into territories where other American fast food places have yet to go. KFC is still shit though.
 
T

Tabris

Member
There isn't a single person who doesn't love Fried Chicken and Watermelon. The only people not eating them either can't due to their diet or have other foods they like more (but they don't dislike fried chicken and watermelon)
 
V

Vic

Please help me with my bad english
Tabris said:
The guy was joking about the chicken in a bag. It's delivered in a paper bucket.

I never understood the bagged milk thing as it's only an east coast thing and even then I don't think it's that common. It shouldn't be associated with Canada but Ontario/Quebec. Think of it like a "southern" tradition for you guys.
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Heh, one could argue that Eastern Canada IS Canada!
 
P

PartlyCloudlike

Member
OpinionatedCyborg said:
the whole fried chicken and watermelon being loved by blacks is silly

if anything, the stereotype should be for the chinese

I swear to god, there are 5 story KFCs in China. and they are always full. and the streets are filled with fresh fruit, including massive watermelons.

there's really no shame in loving fried chicken and watermelon... pretty much every one does... KFC and watermelon should unite us, not divide us. you find me a creature, man or beast, that doesn't like fried chicken and watermelon and I will give you a million dollars. go ahead, bro
Click to expand...

I'm Vietnamese and we LOVE fried chicken and watermelon.
 
V

Veidt

Blasphemer who refuses to accept bagged milk as his personal savior
if you don't like fried chicken and watermelon. then motherfucker, there is something wrong with you.
 
A

Arcblade

Banned
So the U.S. gave Africa AIDS and various other diseaes, and now they are giving them KFC.

Is this insult on top of injury, or injury on top of injury?
 
D

deduce

Member
shoplifter said:
Is this the part where we talk about black people and fried chicken?

It's a shame it wasn't White Castle or In-n-Out.
Click to expand...
I read the article and thought it was an interesting look at how companies enter new foreign markets. Then I see the first reply and went "Oh, that's why this was posted." smh
 
B

besada

Banned
Persona7 said:
Is churches any good?

KFC has good crispy chicken strips but popeyes chicken strips are way better.
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Their bombers and biscuits are good. The chicken is pretty bland, and their chicken sandwich is disgusting.
 
B

BlueTsunami

there is joy in sucking dick
How is Crown Fried Chicken? One opened up a mile away recently and the prices are pretty high when placed against KFC.
 
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