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Fast food chain KFC, Kentucky Fried Chicken, is set to leave its ancestral home state. The company has decided to shift its base to Texas.
KFC (Representative Image)
Yum Brands, the parent company, has issued a statement in this regard. It said that the company has decided to relocate its US headquarters from Kentucky’s Louisville to Plano in Texas. The process has already begun with almost 100 corporate employees and dozens more remote workers expected to move to the new office by the next six months.
All of them will receive relocation support from Yum Brands, also owner of Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. KFC was originally opened by Colonel Harland, who added his secret blend of 11 herbs and spices to the recipes.
Many companies have recently shifted base to Texas, considering the state’s lower taxes and convenient business policies. Yum Brands has planned to have its two headquarters of KFC and Pizza Hut in Plano, while the offices of Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill will remain in Irvine, California. The company has also asked its 90 US-based employees working remotely to report to the new campus.
Political leaders in Kentucky are not happy with KFC moving out of the state. “I am disappointed by this decision and believe the company’s founder would be, too. This company’s name starts with Kentucky and it has marketed our state’s heritage and culture in the sale of its product,” Gov. Andy Beshear said in a statement.
According to David Gibbs, the chief executive of Yum Brands, following the reclamation process, the company will be able to “better serve its customers, employees, franchisees and shareholders.”
Yum Brands, however, mentioned it would continue to operate its corporate offices and KFC Foundation in Louisville. “I’ve asked to meet with the Yum CEO soon and am heartened Yum will retain its corporate headquarters and 560 employees here. I will work tirelessly with Yum’s leadership to continue growing its presence in Louisville,” Mayor Craig Greenberg said.
KFC which had been stationed in Kentucky for nearly a century also announced that it would it would provide $1 million to the University of Louisville’s College of Business for the Yum-sponsored scholarships. From starting in 1930 at a service station in Corbin, the fast food chain now has nearly 24,000 outlets in more than 145 countries around the globe.
