SA has one KFC outlet for every 58,000 people, but demand for finger lickin’ good fried chicken still outstrips supply. That’s why the brand is asking all South Africans to help it identify new potential sites to open even more locations.
In return, until the end of 2025 it is offering a finder’s fee of R60,000 for site recommendations that lead to a successfully opened restaurant or drive-through.
KFC is the one of the fastest-growing quick service restaurant (QSR) brands in SA, Africa and the world. Globally, it has more than 30,000 restaurants in over 150 countries, employing nearly a million people.
Its 1,500 restaurants in 22 African markets employ more than 40,000 people from SA in the south to Senegal in the west and Mauritius in the east. It has close to 1,200 outlets in SA alone.
KFC Africa’s GM Akhona Qengqe says the brand’s transformative impact as a growth igniter has had a profound impact on the communities where it operates, improving local infrastructure, boosting the economy and creating employment.
“We create sustainable wealth and employment across Africa,” she says. “Each restaurant creates an average of 35 direct jobs, provides a modern hub for communities to connect, and delivers high-quality meals made with the best ingredients.”
Qengqe says KFC Africa is also a respected leader in social impact, women empowerment and incubating talent. “We make an indelible mark in the fight against child hunger through our Add Hope initiative; our focus on equity and inclusion means 60% of our team members are women; and the unparalleled opportunities we offer staff for education and career progression have created a robust and globally sought-after talent pool.”
Growth and innovation
SA’s QSR sector leads the world in terms of growth and innovation. It was valued at $2.7bn in 2018 and is projected to reach $4.9bn (about R87bn) by 2026, driven by urbanisation and growing demand.
KFC’s track record of growth means it leads the industry in new builds and has the most sustainable footprint, with the fewest restaurant closures across all markets. Every new restaurant is built to KFC’s Building Green global standards, with 11 “must-haves” to create a healthy and environmentally friendly environment.
KFC is constantly exploring how to push the boundaries to reduce energy and water consumption in each restaurant, and is well on track to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 46% by 2030. All KFC packaging is made from certified sustainable sources and is fully recyclable.
KFC restaurants are remodelled every five years to reflect consumer-centric design metrics and competitor benchmarks, ensuring they reflect KFC’s high standards as the world’s leading QSR brand.
Qengqe says growing KFC’s portfolio of restaurants in SA requires close partnerships with selected property owners and landlords. The brand prioritises long-term relationships with landlords and property owners which are based on trust and confidence.
How to identify and nominate a potential KFC location
KFC is on the lookout for prime locations that meet its proven success formula:
- For a 180m² to 220m² drive-through, vacant land of about 1,500m² is needed.
- For an in-line store, a space of at least 120m² to 150m² is required, ideally situated in high-traffic retail and transit nodes, shopping centres and fuel stations.
If you’re over 18, a South African citizen, and you think you know of a great new location for KFC, you can nominate it by simply:
- Filling in the submission form on the KFC website; or
- Sending an email to ZA-KFCContact@yum.com.
Read these terms and conditions for more details.
This article was sponsored by KFC.
