With 800 locations and counting, KFC (or Kentucky Fried Chicken) has been a fast food mainstay for decades. At any of these locations around the world, you’ll find crispy chicken with all of your favourite sides and desserts. While most people enjoy eating KFC for its deliciousness, others may wonder about where the chicken comes from and whether it’s safe to eat in South Africa specifically. Luckily, the answer to both questions is yes!
Most of the time, it’s from the chickens they raise.
KFC doesn’t own their own farms, but they buy chicken from other countries. They get most of their chickens from Brazil, but they also import some from China, India and the United States. The company only buys 100% free-range or organic chickens for their restaurants in Europe and Australia.
They have a purpose-built R&D centre and slaughterhouse near George.
KFC has been operating in South Africa since the late 1990s, opening its first store in Johannesburg. The company has grown to over 300 restaurants and employs about 10,000 people. One of the most important parts of any restaurant is where they get their food from, and where does KFC get their chicken from? In the past, KFC could use local suppliers to meet its needs but due to a lack of capacity, it has had difficulties in this area. In response to this, KFC built a purpose-built R&D centre and slaughterhouse near George which opened in 2010. The facility covers 30 hectares and produces some 2 million chickens per week for distribution throughout Africa.
