115-681: Colonel Harland David Sanders (September 9, 1890 – December 16, 1980) was an American businessman and founder of fast food chicken restaurant chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (also known as KFC). He later acted as the company's brand ambassador and symbol. His name and image are still symbols of the company. Sanders held a number of jobs in his early life, such as steam engine stoker , insurance salesman, and filling station operator. He began selling fried chicken from his roadside restaurant in North Corbin, Kentucky , during
230-557: A RoboCop version of Colonel Sanders. Later that year, Sean Astin played a Rudy Ruettiger version of the Colonel to commemorate the beginning of the NFL season. In 2019, a free video game was commissioned by the restaurant chain KFC and released for free called I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A parody of conventional dating sims, the primary objective of the player is to develop a romantic relationship with
345-614: A service station in Nicholasville . In 1930, the station closed as a result of the Great Depression . In 1930, the Shell Oil Company offered Sanders a service station in North Corbin, Kentucky , rent free, in return for paying the company a percentage of sales. Sanders began to serve chicken dishes and other meals such as country ham and steaks . Initially he served the customers in his adjacent living quarters before opening
460-476: A brief piece of footage of Hammond followed by Macdonald's Colonel declaring his predecessor an impostor. In February 2016, yet another portrayal was introduced with Jim Gaffigan as the Colonel, shown bolting awake in bed and telling his wife about his recurring nightmare of Macdonald's Colonel "pretending to be me". By July 2016, George Hamilton was playing Colonel Sanders, parlaying his famous tan into an advertisement for KFC's "extra crispy" chicken. During
575-475: A courtroom brawl with his own client destroyed his reputation. This period represented a low point for Sanders. As his biographer John Ed Pearce wrote, "[Sanders] had encountered repeated failure largely through bullheadedness, a lack of self-control, impatience, and a self-righteous lack of diplomacy." Following the incident, Sanders was forced to move back in with his mother in Henryville, where he went to work as
690-619: A culturally-based stereotype exists, leading to the incorrect assertion of racism...We unequivocally condemn discrimination of any type and have a proud history as one of the world's leading employers for diversity". In May 2012, Greenpeace accused KFC of sourcing paper pulp for its food packaging from Indonesian rainforest wood. Independent forensic tests showed that some packaging contained more than 50 percent mixed tropical hardwood fiber, sourced from Asia Pulp & Paper (APP). APP said such fiber can be found in recycled paper, or: "It can also come from tree residues that are cleared, after
805-464: A farmhand. In 1902, Sanders's mother married William Broaddus and the family moved to Greenwood, Indiana . Sanders had a tumultuous relationship with his stepfather. In 1903, at age 12, he dropped out of seventh grade (later stating that "algebra's what drove [him] off") and went to live and work on a nearby farm. At age 13, he left home and took a job painting horse carriages in Indianapolis . When he
920-407: A fictionalized version of KFC's founder Colonel Sanders, portrayed as an attractive classmate at a cooking school. In December 2020, a fictionalized Colonel Sanders was portrayed by Mario Lopez in the 2020 short film A Recipe for Seduction . The Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball league developed an urban legend of the " Curse of the Colonel ". A statue of Colonel Sanders was thrown into
1035-808: A fireman on the Illinois Central Railroad , and he and his family moved to Jackson, Tennessee . By night, Sanders studied law by correspondence through the La Salle Extension University . Sanders lost his job at Illinois after brawling with a colleague. While Sanders moved to work for the Rock Island Railroad , Josephine and the children went to live with her parents. After a while, Sanders began to practice law in Little Rock , which he did for three years, earning enough in fees for his family to move with him. His legal career ended after
1150-534: A forest area has become degraded, logged-over or burned, as part of a sustainable development plan. APP has strict policies and practices in place to ensure that only residues from legal plantation development on degraded or logged-over forest areas and sustainable wood fiber enters the production supply chain." KFC said: "From a global perspective, 60 percent of the paper products that Yum! (our parent company) sources are from sustainable sources. Our suppliers are working towards making it 100 percent." In December 2012,
1265-612: A job cleaning out the ash pans of locomotives from the Northern Alabama Railroad (a division of the Southern Railway) when they had finished their runs. Sanders progressed to become a fireman (steam engine stoker) from the age of 16. He worked the job for nearly three years until he was fired for "insubordination" after he got sick. Sanders found laboring work with the Norfolk and Western Railway from 1909. While working on
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#17328548079861380-544: A laborer on the Pennsylvania Railroad . In 1916, the family moved to Jeffersonville , where Sanders got a job selling life insurance for the Prudential Life Insurance Company . Sanders was eventually fired for insubordination. He moved to Louisville and got a sales job with Mutual Benefit Life of New Jersey. In 1920, at age 30, Sanders established a ferry boat company, which operated a boat on
1495-479: A large device that cost $ 16,000. The Hartzog model had no oil filtration system, meaning that filtering had to be done manually, and the pressure fryers occasionally exploded often harming employees. In 1969, inventor and engineer Winston L. Shelton developed the "Collectramatic" pressurized fryer to overcome the problems KFC faced in quickly frying chicken to meet growing customer demand. The Collectramatic used precision time and temperature controls and self-filtered
1610-555: A lifetime salary for Sanders and the agreement that he would be the company's quality controller and trademark. The chain had reached 3,000 outlets in 48 countries by 1970. In July 1971, Brown sold the company to the Connecticut -based Heublein , a packaged food and drinks corporation, for US$ 285 million (around US$ 1.8 billion in 2020). Sanders died in 1980, his promotional work making him a prominent figure in American cultural history. By
1725-664: A limited menu. Value menu items are sold under the "Streetwise" name in locations such as Canada, Nigeria, South Africa and Mauritius. Side dishes often include French fries , coleslaw , barbecue baked beans , corn on the cob , mashed potato , bread rolls and American biscuits . Salads include the bean salad , the Caesar salad and the garden salad . In a number of territories, KFC sells onion rings . In most of Asia, several Sub-Saharan Africa and Pacific markets, rice based side dishes are often sold. In Greece and Bulgaria, potato wedges are sold instead of French fries. In
1840-410: A median income of $ 35,182 versus $ 22,868 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 19,491. About 10.2% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.3% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 14,572 people, 5,269 households, and 3,176 families residing in the city. Jasper is the location of
1955-433: A motel he purchased across the street, naming it Sanders Court & Café . Sanders was unhappy with the 35 minutes it took to prepare his chicken in an iron frying pan, but he refused to deep fry the chicken, which he believed lowered the quality of the product. If he pre-cooked the chicken in advance of orders, there was sometimes wastage at day's end. In 1939, the first commercial pressure cookers were released onto
2070-474: A number of Eastern European locations and Portugal, beer is offered in addition to soft drinks. In 2023 KFC branches in UK and Ireland introduced new 'signature fries' (fries coated in herbs and spice) in an attempt to improve the taste of the fries. KFC initially used stove-top covered cooking pots to fry its chicken. In the 1960s, the officially recommended model was the L S Hartzog developed "KFC 20-Head Cooker",
2185-481: A number of successful major product launches, including spicy "Hot Wings" (launched in 1990), popcorn chicken (1992) and, internationally, the "Zinger", a spicy chicken fillet sandwich (1993). By 1994 KFC had 5,149 outlets in the US and 9,407 overall, with over 100,000 employees. In August 1997, PepsiCo spun off its restaurants division as a public company valued at US$ 4.5 billion (around US$ 7.3 billion in 2020). The new company
2300-510: A paper bucket was to become an iconic feature of the company. By 1963, there were 600 KFC restaurants, making the company the largest fast food operation in the United States. KFC popularized chicken in the fast food industry, diversifying the market by challenging the dominance of the hamburger . With significant growth in tow, the fledgling Kentucky Fried Chicken decided in 1964 that they would begin offering franchise opportunities beyond
2415-572: A part of its restaurants division alongside Pizza Hut and Taco Bell . KFC entered the Chinese market in November 1987, with an outlet in Beijing. In 1991, the KFC name was officially adopted, although it had already been widely known by that initialism . Kyle Craig, president of KFC U.S., admitted the change was an attempt to distance the chain from the unhealthy connotations of "fried". The early 1990s saw
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#17328548079862530-522: A partnership of Kentucky businessmen headed by John Y. Brown Jr. , a 29-year-old lawyer and future governor of Kentucky, and Jack C. Massey , a venture capitalist and entrepreneur. Sanders became a salaried brand ambassador. The initial deal did not include the Canadian operations, which Sanders retained, nor the franchising rights in the UK, Florida, Utah, and Montana, which Sanders had already sold to others. In 1965, Sanders moved to Mississauga , Ontario ,
2645-683: A restaurant. It was during this period that Sanders was involved in a shootout with Matt Stewart, a local competitor who had painted over a sign directing traffic to Sanders' station. Stewart killed a Shell employee who was with Sanders. and was convicted of murder, eliminating Sanders's competition. Sanders was commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel in 1935 by Kentucky governor Ruby Laffoon . His local popularity grew, and, in 1939, food critic Duncan Hines visited Sanders's restaurant and included it in Adventures in Good Eating , his guide to restaurants throughout
2760-627: A river and lost during a 1985 fan celebration, and (according to the legend) the "curse" has caused Japan's Hanshin Tigers to perform poorly since the incident. It was said that unless the statue was fully recovered, the Tigers would never win the Japan Series again. After a handful of losses in 2003 , 2005 , and 2014 , Hanshin finally prevailed in 2023 . Kentucky Fried Chicken KFC Corporation , doing business as KFC (also commonly referred to by its historical name Kentucky Fried Chicken ),
2875-633: A special edition in 1891, the Mountain Eagle stated there were six coal mines, two sandstone quarries, 400 coke ovens, one foundry and machine shop, two saw mills, one brick works, four hotels, and two banks. Jasper has several sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places . These include the John Hollis Bankhead House , First United Methodist Church , Jasper Downtown Historic District , and Walker County Hospital . Jasper
2990-575: A suburb of Toronto , to oversee his Canadian franchises and continued to collect franchise and appearance fees both in Canada and in the US. Sanders bought and lived in a bungalow at 1337 Melton Drive in the Lakeview area of Mississauga from 1965 until his death in 1980. In September 1970 he and his wife were baptized in the Jordan River . He also befriended Billy Graham and Jerry Falwell . Sanders remained
3105-715: A supervisor in Seattle until the latter part of 1942. He later ran cafeterias for the government at an ordnance works in Tennessee, followed by a job as assistant cafeteria manager in Oak Ridge, Tennessee . He left his mistress, Claudia Ledington-Price, as manager of the North Corbin restaurant and motel. In 1942, he sold the Asheville business. In 1947, he and Josephine divorced and Sanders married Claudia in 1949, as he had long desired. Sanders
3220-438: A tomato cannery, and the young Harland was left to look after and cook for his siblings. By the age of seven, in 1897, he was reportedly skilled with bread and vegetables, and improving with meat; the children foraged for food while their mother was away at work for days at a time. In 1899, his mother married Edward Park, but according to the 1900 census, his mother was widowed again. When he was 10, in 1900, Sanders began to work as
3335-698: A wagoner (see teamster ) in Cuba being awarded the Cuban Pacification Medal (Army) . He was honorably discharged in February 1907 and moved to Sheffield, Alabama , where his uncle lived. There, he met his brother Clarence, who had also moved there in order to escape their stepfather. The uncle worked for the Southern Railway , and secured Sanders a job there as a blacksmith's helper in the workshops. After two months, Sanders moved to Jasper, Alabama , where he got
3450-480: A year it became without Win's fryer. He (Shelton) helped set the stage for that with true engineering thinking. Although a number of franchisees bought the Collectramatic, which had the support of Colonel Sanders from 1970 onwards, John Y. Brown Jr. had given tacit approval to franchisees to exclusively use the older L S Hartzog fryer, saying "Though those old pots were damn dangerous, at least we knew they worked! I
3565-561: Is pressure-fried chicken pieces, seasoned with Sanders' signature recipe of " 11 herbs and spices ". The constituents of the recipe are a trade secret . Larger portions of fried chicken are served in a cardboard "bucket", which has become a feature of the chain since it was first introduced by franchisee Pete Harman in 1957. Since the early 1990s, KFC has expanded its menu to offer other chicken products such as chicken fillet sandwiches and wraps , as well as salads and side dishes such as French fries and coleslaw , desserts and soft drinks;
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3680-649: Is a city in and the county seat of Walker County, Alabama , United States. Its population was 14,352 as of the 2010 census. Named in honor of Sergeant William Jasper , an American Revolutionary War hero, Jasper was settled around 1815 and incorporated on August 18, 1886. The first significant growth of the area was in 1886 when the Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham Railroad and the Sheffield & Birmingham Railroads were completed through Jasper. The population grew from 200 people in 1886 to more than 3,000 in 1890. In
3795-465: Is a preference for spicy foods, such as the Zinger chicken burger. In many international markets, the seasoning used for the core chicken pieces product is available as a hot and spicy version as an alternative to the classic KFC recipe. The hot and spicy coating, as well as having a spicier flavour, also has a crispy consistency. In Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, a grilled chicken known as "Smoky Red"
3910-488: Is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, one of the largest restaurant companies in the world. KFC had sales of $ 23 billion in 2013. KFC is incorporated under Delaware General Corporation Law , and has its headquarters at 1441 Gardiner Lane, Louisville, Kentucky , in a three-story colonial style building known colloquially as the "White House" due to its resemblance to the US president's home . The headquarters contain executive offices and
4025-515: Is an American fast food restaurant chain that specializes in fried chicken . Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky , it is the world's second-largest restaurant chain (as measured by sales) after McDonald's , with over 30,000 locations globally in 150 countries as of April 2024 . The chain is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands , a restaurant company that also owns the Pizza Hut and Taco Bell chains. KFC
4140-830: Is available in over 2,000 outlets. Egg custard tart is a popular dessert worldwide, but other items include ice cream sundaes and tres leches cake in Peru. In 2012, the "KFC AM" breakfast menu began to be rolled out internationally, including such items as pancakes , waffles and porridge , as well as fried chicken. On August 27, 2019, KFC tested meatless boneless wings and nuggets in Atlanta, Georgia. In February 2023, Kentucky Fried Chicken in Australia announced that several items would no longer be sold in their menu, including wings, popcorn chicken, Nashville hot sauce and strawberry lemonade. Sanders' Original Recipe of "11 herbs and spices"
4255-516: Is available. KFC locations in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and Vietnam offer a roasted option known as Flava Crava. KFC's menu in China includes, among other items incorporating Chinese food items, rice bowls, noodle dishes, and chicken prepared in the style of Peking duck. Some locations in the US sell fried chicken livers and gizzards . A small number of US outlets offer an all-you-can-eat buffet option with
4370-435: Is located at 33°50′32″N 87°16′38″W / 33.84222°N 87.27722°W / 33.84222; -87.27722 (33.842347, -87.277174). According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 26.9 square miles (70 km ), of which 26.9 square miles (70 km ) is land and 0.04% is water. In 2020, it was reported that of Alabama cities with populations of at least 10,000 people as of 2010, Jasper
4485-516: Is nothing in the world but a damn fried doughball stuck on some chicken. After being recommissioned as a Kentucky colonel in 1950 by Governor Lawrence Wetherby , Sanders began to dress the part, growing a goatee and wearing a black frock coat (later switching to a white suit), a string tie , and referring to himself as "Colonel". His associates went along with the title change, "jokingly at first and then in earnest", according to biographer Josh Ozersky . He never wore anything else in public during
4600-453: Is one of the best known trade secrets in the catering industry. The recipe is not patented, because patent law requires public disclosure of an invention and provides protection only for a strictly limited term, whereas trade secrets can remain the intellectual property of their holders in perpetuity. A copy of the recipe, signed by Sanders, is held inside a safe inside a vault in KFC's Louisville headquarters, along with 11 vials containing
4715-483: Is one of the most widely available KFC products. In some locations, such as in Australia, Belarus, Malaysia and South Africa, chicken nuggets are also sold. McCormick & Company is KFC's largest supplier of sauces, seasonings and marinades and is a long-term partner in new product development. Due to the company's previous relationship with PepsiCo, most territories supply PepsiCo products, but exceptional territories include Barbados, Greece, Mexico, New Zealand,
Colonel Sanders - Misplaced Pages Continue
4830-515: The Louisville Courier-Journal on October 8, 1975, he told journalist Dan Kauffman: My God, that gravy is horrible. They buy tap water for 15 to 20 cents a thousand gallons and then they mix it with flour and starch and end up with pure wallpaper paste. And I know wallpaper paste, by God, because I've seen my mother make it. ... There's no nutrition in it and they ought not to be allowed to sell it. ... [The] crispy [fried chicken] recipe
4945-458: The Great Depression . During that time, Sanders developed his "secret recipe" and his patented method of cooking chicken in a pressure fryer . Sanders recognized the potential of the restaurant franchising concept, and the first KFC franchise opened in South Salt Lake, Utah , in 1952. When his original restaurant closed, he devoted himself full-time to franchising his fried chicken throughout
5060-615: The Ohio River between Jeffersonville and Louisville. He canvassed for funding, becoming a minority shareholder himself, and was appointed secretary of the company. The ferry was an instant success. Around 1922 he took a job as secretary at the Chamber of Commerce in Columbus, Indiana . He admitted that he was not very good at the job and resigned after less than a year. Sanders cashed in his ferry boat company shares for $ 22,000 ($ 393,000 today) and used
5175-627: The SyFy Channel 's documentary show Town of the Living Dead . The city is home to the annual Foothills Festival in Historic Downtown Jasper Square, which features live music and food vendors. In the TV series Lost , Jasper is the hometown of James "Sawyer" Ford . The 2020 documentary film Jasper Mall centers around the economically distressed Jasper Mall . On February 2, 2024, it
5290-573: The "create-a-wrestler" feature) as part of a product placement deal with KFC. Ray Liotta then portrayed Sanders. Singer Reba McEntire was named as the newest Sanders in January 2018, and made her debut in a commercial promoting the fast food chain's new "Smoky Mountain BBQ" chicken. As of August 2018, actor Jason Alexander and professional strongman and actor Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson both portray Colonel Sanders. In early 2019, Peter Weller portrayed
5405-412: The 20th century. The trademark expired in the US in 2006. The first KFC logo was introduced in 1952 and featured a "Kentucky Fried Chicken" typeface and a logo of the Colonel. In 1962, Dave Thomas took Colonel Sanders' bucket and turned it into a sign that revolved in a circular motion in front of almost every American KFC outlet. Advertising played a key role at KFC after it was sold by Sanders and
5520-939: The Atlantic, and landed on the United Kingdom as its entry point into Europe. As such, the first British KFC eatery opened its doors at 92 Fishergate in Preston, Lancashire , on May 1, 1965, and still operates today. Pat Grace met with Sanders at his holiday home near Toronto and agreed to franchise the brand in Ireland. In 1970 Grace returned to Ireland after a number of years in Canada to open his first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants in Phibsboro shopping center in Dublin. Eventually he opened another six restaurants located in Dublin, Limerick and Cork. After disagreements over cost cutting with KFC management in
5635-507: The Colonel Sanders character back in new television advertisements, played by comedian Darrell Hammond . Some commentators felt the new portrayal was distasteful and disrespectful of the actual man's legacy. In August 2015, KFC launched a new campaign, this time with comedian Norm Macdonald portraying Sanders; the first ad of the campaign makes direct reference to the Hammond campaign, with
5750-477: The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has protested KFC's choice of poultry suppliers worldwide. The exception is KFC Canada, which signed an agreement pledging to only use "animal-friendly" suppliers. President of KFC's US division Gregg Dedrick said PETA mischaracterized KFC as a poultry producer rather than a purchaser of chickens. In 2008, Yum! stated: "[As] a major purchaser of food products, [Yum!] has
5865-622: The KFC brand. In March 2013, Yum! reported that sales had rebounded in February, but that lower sales in December and January would result in a decline in same-store sales of 20 percent in the first quarter. In 2017, KFC was fined £950,000 after two workers in the UK were scalded by boiling hot gravy. The company admitted to charges of failing in a duty of care to employees and was ordered by Teesside Crown Court in Middlesbrough to pay fines of £800,000 and £150,000. Jasper, Alabama Jasper
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#17328548079865980-612: The Philippines, Romania, South Africa, Turkey, Indonesia (since 2019), Singapore (since 2022) and Malaysia (since 2022) which stock drinks supplied by The Coca-Cola Company , and Aruba , which stocks RC Cola from the Cott Corporation . In Peru, the locally popular Inca Kola is sold. Launched in 2009, the Krusher/Krushem range of frozen beverages containing "real bits" such as Kit Kat , Oreo and strawberry shortcake
6095-484: The UK, Australia, Mexico and Jamaica by the mid-1960s. Sanders obtained a patent protecting his method of pressure frying chicken in 1962, and trademarked the phrase "It's Finger Lickin' Good" in 1963. The company's rapid expansion to more than 600 locations became overwhelming for the aging Sanders. In 1964, then 73 years old, he sold the Kentucky Fried Chicken corporation for $ 2 million ($ 19.6 million today) to
6210-403: The US to franchise his recipe to restaurant owners. Independent restaurants would pay four (later five) cents on each chicken as a franchise fee in exchange for Sanders' recipe and the right to feature it on their menus and use his name and likeness for promotional purposes. Don Anderson, a sign painter hired by Harman, coined the name "Kentucky Fried Chicken". For Harman, the addition of KFC
6325-455: The US where fried chicken remains closely associated with age-old racist stereotypes about black people in the once segregated south", KFC Australia aired the 30-second promotion on television named "KFC's cricket survival guide" which shows a white cricket fan surrounded by black fans from the opposing team. The television announcer asks, "Need a tip when you're stuck in an awkward situation?" The fan passes around his "bucket of KFC", even though
6440-571: The US. The entry read: Corbin, KY. Sanders Court and Café 41 — Jct. with 25, 25 E. ½ Mi. N. of Corbin. Open all year except Xmas. A very good place to stop en route to Cumberland Falls and the Great Smokies. Continuous 24-hour service. Sizzling steaks, fried chicken, country ham, hot biscuits. L. 50¢ to $ 1; D., 60¢ to $ 1 In July 1939, Sanders acquired a motel in Asheville , North Carolina . His North Corbin restaurant and motel
6555-599: The addition of fried chicken was a way of differentiating his restaurant from competitors; in Utah, a product hailing from Kentucky was unique and evoked imagery of Southern hospitality . Don Anderson, a sign painter hired by Harman, coined the name Kentucky Fried Chicken . After Harman's success, several other restaurant owners franchised the concept and paid Sanders $ 0.04 per chicken (equivalent to $ 0.46 in 2023). Sanders believed that his North Corbin restaurant would remain successful indefinitely; however, he sold it at age 65 after
6670-466: The addition of the MSG flavor-enhancer Ac'cent , they produced fried chicken which tasted "indistinguishable" from the chicken they purchased at KFC. KFC adapts its menu internationally to suit regional tastes and there are over 300 KFC menu items worldwide. Some locations, such as the UK and the US, sell grilled chicken. In predominantly Islamic countries, the chicken served is halal . In Asia, there
6785-457: The airing of the 2016 SummerSlam , a commercial aired of WWE wrestler Dolph Ziggler dressed up as Colonel Sanders beating up a man in a chicken suit (played by fellow wrestler The Miz ) in a wrestling ring. In September 2016, comedian Rob Riggle played Sanders in an ad introducing a football team named "The Kentucky Buckets". In January 2017, to advertise their "Georgia Gold Honey Mustard BBQ" Chicken offerings, actor Billy Zane took over
6900-477: The alleged misuse of his image in promoting products he had not helped develop. In 1975, Heublein Inc. unsuccessfully sued Sanders for libel after he publicly described their gravy as being "sludge" with a "wall-paper taste". Sanders and his wife reopened their Shelbyville restaurant as " Claudia Sanders, The Colonel's Lady " and served KFC-style chicken there as part of a full-service dinner menu, and talked about expanding
7015-474: The back of his car, Sanders visited restaurants, offered to cook his chicken, and if workers liked it negotiated franchise rights. Although such visits required much time, eventually potential franchisees began visiting Sanders instead. He ran the company while Claudia mixed and shipped the spices to restaurants. The franchise approach became highly successful; KFC was one of the first fast food chains to expand internationally, opening outlets in Canada and later in
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#17328548079867130-452: The chain was criticized in China when it was discovered that a number of KFC suppliers had been using growth hormones and an excessive amount of antibiotics on its poultry in ways that violated Chinese law. In February 2013, Yum! CEO David Novak admitted that the scandal had been "longer lasting and more impactful than we ever imagined." The issue is of major concern to Yum!, which earns almost half of its profits from China, largely through
7245-433: The chicken is left to stand for 5 minutes in order for it to sufficiently cool before it is placed in the warming oven. It is KFC policy to discard chicken if it has not been sold within 90 minutes in order to ensure freshness. The frying oil varies regionally and versions used include sunflower , soybean , rapeseed and palm oil . A KFC executive stated that the taste of the chicken will vary between regions depending on
7360-467: The city was $ 27,927. About 14.8% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line , including 29.5% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over. At the 2010 census , there were 14,352 people, 5,760 households, and 3,831 families living in the city. The population density was 533.5 inhabitants per square mile (206.0/km ). There were 6,478 housing units at an average density of 241 per square mile (93/km ). The racial makeup of
7475-439: The city was 81.3% White, 13.4% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.l. Of the 5,760 households 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 31.1% of households were one person and 14.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size
7590-467: The commercial was intended for an Australian audience, which found its way to social media in the United States, prompting sharp disapproval. KFC Australia made a statement to the fact the commercial was "misinterpreted by a segment of people in the US" and it was a "light-hearted reference to the West Indian cricket team" and "The ad was reproduced online in the US without KFC's permission, where we are told
7705-482: The company began to advertise on US television with a budget of US$ 4 million in 1966. In order to fund nationwide advertising campaigns, the Kentucky Fried Chicken Advertising Co-Op was established, giving franchisees 10 votes and the company three when deciding on budgets and campaigns. In 1969, KFC hired its first national advertising agency, Leo Burnett . A notable Burnett campaign in 1972
7820-479: The company made was to the gravy, which Sanders had bragged was so good that "it'll make you throw away the durn chicken and just eat the gravy" but which the company simplified to reduce time and cost. As late as 1979 Sanders made surprise visits to KFC restaurants, and if the food disappointed him, he denounced it to the franchisee as "God-damned slop" or pushed it onto the floor. In 1973, Sanders sued Heublein Inc. —the then parent company of Kentucky Fried Chicken—over
7935-414: The company's research and development facilities. KFC's core product offering is pressure fried on-the-bone chicken pieces seasoned with Colonel Harland Sanders' "Original Recipe" of 11 herbs and spices. The product is typically available in either two- or three-piece individual servings or in a family size cardboard bucket typically holding between six and 16 chicken pieces. In territories that follow
8050-506: The company's symbol after selling it, traveling 200,000 miles (320,000 km) a year on the company's behalf and filming many TV commercials and appearances. He retained much influence over executives and franchisees, who respected his culinary expertise and feared what The New Yorker described as "the force and variety of his swearing" when a restaurant or the company varied from what executives described as "the Colonel's chicken". One change
8165-416: The contract. The Collectramatic has been an approved pressure fryer for KFC from 1972 onwards. From 2013 onwards, KFC has been transitioning from using Collectramatic cookers to pressure fryers produced by Henny Penny , which supplies KFC with various equipment. The 'Velocity' series of pressure fryers includes increased load capacity, automatic oil filtration and increased oil longevity. Colonel Sanders
8280-409: The cooking oil – all while meeting Colonel Sanders' high standards. Fred Jeffries, then vice president of purchasing at KFC, claimed that the invention helped fuel the company's rapid expansion and success: There's no way it (KFC) could have grown as it did without the Collectramatic. Stores were doing about $ 200,000 a year in sales on average with the pots...but they could never have done the $ 900,000
8395-446: The country. The company's rapid expansion across the United States and overseas became overwhelming for Sanders. In 1964, then 73 years old, he sold the company to a group of investors led by John Y. Brown Jr. and Jack C. Massey for $ 2 million ($ 19.6 million today). However, he retained control of operations in Canada, and he became a salaried brand ambassador for Kentucky Fried Chicken. In his later years, he became highly critical of
8510-489: The early 1980s, the Irish restaurants were renamed to Pat Grace's Famous Fried Chicken reportedly retaining the original recipe. These stores were closed in the late 1980s. Pat Grace went on to wholesale the chicken spice blend under the brand Grace's Perfect Blend. In 1964, Sanders sold KFC to a group of investors led by John Y. Brown Jr. and Jack C. Massey for US$ 2 million (around US$ 17 million in 2020). The contract included
8625-478: The eldest son, to care for his two younger siblings. After he reached seven years of age, his mother taught him how to cook. After leaving the family home at the age of 13, Sanders passed through several professions with mixed success. In 1930, Sanders took over a Shell filling station on U.S. Route 25 just outside North Corbin, Kentucky , a small town on the edge of the Appalachian Mountains . It
8740-449: The fall of 2016. In January 2018, country music icon Reba McEntire played the first female Colonel Sanders. Before leaving as CEO in 2021, Andrea Zahumensky told Ad Age the "brand assets that we're so lucky to have" were the bucket, the three stripes and the full name Kentucky Fried Chicken. All of these were being used more by the chain. Australia rebranded KFC back to its original name, "Kentucky Fried Chicken" in 2019. KFC
8855-410: The food served at KFC restaurants, and cost-cutting measures that he said reduced its quality, referring to the food as "God-damned slop" with a "wall-paper taste". Harland David Sanders was born on September 9, 1890, in a four-room house located 3 miles (5 km) east of Henryville, Indiana . He was the oldest of three children born to Wilbur David and Margaret Ann ( née Dunlevy) Sanders. His mother
8970-428: The herbs and spices. To maintain the secrecy of the recipe, half of it is produced by Griffith Laboratories before it is given to McCormick , who add the second half. In 1999, a couple who bought the house formerly occupied by Colonel Sanders found scribbled notes purported to be the secret recipe. Initially, KFC wanted to file a lawsuit against the couple to stop an auction of the notes but, by early 2001, it dropped
9085-403: The last 20 years of his life, using a heavy wool suit in the winter and a light cotton suit in the summer. He bleached his mustache and goatee to match his white hair. John Y. Brown Jr. remembered Sanders as "a brilliant man with a gourmet flair for food, a visionary and a great motivator, with the style of a showman and the discipline of a Vince Lombardi ." Sanders was a Freemason . Sanders
9200-409: The latter often supplied by PepsiCo. KFC is known for its slogans "It's Finger Lickin' Good!", "Nobody does chicken like KFC", "We do chicken right", and "So good". Harland Sanders was born in 1890 and raised on a farm outside Henryville, Indiana (near Louisville, Kentucky ). When Sanders was five years old, his father died, forcing his mother to work at a canning plant. This left Sanders, as
9315-418: The lawsuit, claiming the scribbled notes are "nowhere close" to the original recipe. Joe Ledington of Kentucky, a nephew by marriage of Colonel Sanders, claimed to have found a copy of the original KFC fried chicken recipe on a handwritten piece of paper in an envelope in a scrapbook. In August 2016, Chicago Tribune staffers conducted a cooking test of this recipe and claimed after a few attempts that, with
9430-500: The leading chicken retailer in the US three years previously. The company launched a new initiative with a plan to revamp its packaging, decor and uniforms and expand its menu. Additionally, beginning in May 2015, a new series of US advertisements was launched featuring Darrell Hammond as Colonel Sanders. In a planned rotation of actors, Norm Macdonald , Jim Gaffigan , George Hamilton and Rob Riggle portrayed Sanders in similar ads through
9545-416: The market by challenging the established dominance of the hamburger . By branding himself as "Colonel Sanders", Harland became a prominent figure of American cultural history and his image remains widely used in KFC advertising to this day. However, the company's rapid expansion overwhelmed the aging Sanders, and he sold it to a group of investors led by John Y. Brown Jr. and Jack C. Massey in 1964. KFC
9660-445: The market, mostly designed for steaming vegetables. Sanders bought one and modified it into a pressure fryer , which he then used to fry chicken. The new method reduced production time to be comparable with deep frying while, in the opinion of Sanders, retaining the quality of pan-fried chicken. In July 1940, Sanders finalized what came to be known as his " Original Recipe " of 11 herbs and spices. Although he never publicly revealed
9775-491: The money to establish a company manufacturing acetylene lamps. The venture failed after Delco introduced an electric lamp that it sold on credit. Sanders moved to Winchester, Kentucky , to work as a salesman for the Michelin Tire Company . He lost his job in 1924 when Michelin closed its New Jersey manufacturing plant. In 1924, by chance, he met the general manager of Standard Oil of Kentucky , who asked him to run
9890-481: The new Interstate 75 reduced customer traffic. Left only with his savings and US$ 105 a month from Social Security (equivalent to $ 1,194 in 2023), Sanders decided to begin to franchise his chicken concept in earnest, and traveled the US looking for suitable restaurants. After closing the North Corbin site, Sanders and Claudia opened a new restaurant and company headquarters in Shelbyville in 1959. Often sleeping in
10005-456: The oil variety used and whether the chicken has been corn-fed or wheat-fed. As well as its core chicken on the bone offering, KFC's major products include chicken burgers (including the Zinger and the Tower); wraps ("Twisters" and "Boxmasters"); and a variety of finger foods , including crispy chicken strips and hot wings . Popcorn chicken , which consists of bite-sized pieces of fried chicken,
10120-500: The opportunity and responsibility to influence the way animals supplied to us are treated. We take that responsibility very seriously, and we are monitoring our suppliers on an ongoing basis." In 2006, Greenpeace accused KFC Europe of sourcing the soya bean for its chicken feed from Cargill , which had been accused of clearing large swathes of the Amazon rainforest in order to grow the crop. In 2010, according to The Guardian , "in
10235-418: The population was Hispanic. Of the 5,728 households 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 29.7% of households were one person and 13.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.38, and the average family size was 2.93. The age distribution
10350-983: The railroad, he met Josephine King of Jasper, Alabama , and they were married shortly afterwards on June 15, 1909, in Jasper. They would go on to have three children, Margaret Josephine Sanders, born March 29, 1910, in Jasper, Alabama , and died October 19, 2001, in West Palm Beach, Florida , Harland David Sanders Jr. on April 23, 1912, in Tuscumbia, Alabama , who died on September 15, 1932, in Martinsville, Indiana , from infected tonsils , and Mildred Marie Sanders Ruggles, born October 15, 1919, in Jeffersonville, Indiana , and died September 21, 2010, in Lexington, Kentucky . He then found work as
10465-410: The recipe, he said the ingredients included salt and pepper and that the rest "stand on everybody's shelf". After being recommissioned as a Kentucky Colonel in 1950 by Governor Lawrence Wetherby , Sanders began to dress the part, growing a goatee , wearing a black frock coat (later switched to a white suit) and a string tie and referring to himself as "the Colonel". His associates went along with
10580-574: The restaurant into a chain. He was sued by the company for it. After reaching a settlement with Heublein, he sold the Colonel's Lady restaurant, and it has continued to operate, currently as the Claudia Sanders Dinner House. It serves his "original recipe" fried chicken as part of its non-fast-food dinner menu, and it is the only non-KFC restaurant that serves an authorized version of the fried chicken recipe. Sanders remained critical of Kentucky Fried Chicken's food. In an article published by
10695-490: The role as the "Solid Gold Colonel". In April 2017, actor Rob Lowe was announced as the newest actor in the role of Colonel Sanders. Lowe said that as a child, he actually got to meet Harland Sanders. WWE would return to using Colonel Sanders during 2017, showing ads of Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle playing him, as well as announcing that Colonel Sanders would be available as a playable character in WWE 2K18 (accessible through
10810-534: The system handed down by Colonel Sanders, such as Canada and the UK, each chicken is divided into nine different cuts (two drumsticks, two thighs, two wings, two breast pieces and one keel ); however, the United States now uses an eight-piece cut. The chicken is hand-breaded at individual KFC outlets with wheat flour mixed with seasoning in a two- to four-minute process. It is then pressure fried for between seven and 10 minutes (the timing differs between countries) in oil at 185 degrees Celsius. Following this,
10925-429: The time of Sanders's death, there were an estimated 6,000 KFC outlets in 48 countries worldwide, with $ 2 billion in sales annually. A fictionalized Colonel Sanders has repeatedly appeared as a mascot in KFC's advertising and branding. Sanders has been voiced by impressionists in radio ads, and from 1998 to 2001 an animated version of him voiced by Randy Quaid appeared in television commercials. In May 2015, KFC brought
11040-407: The time of his death, there were an estimated 6,000 KFC outlets in 48 countries worldwide, with $ 2 billion worth of sales annually. In 1982, Heublein was acquired by R. J. Reynolds , the tobacco giant. In July 1986, Reynolds announced the sale of KFC to PepsiCo for $ 850 million (around US$ 2.0 billion in 2020). The actual sale took place in early October for $ 840 million. PepsiCo made the chain
11155-421: The title change, "jokingly at first and then in earnest", according to biographer Josh Ozersky . In 1952, Sanders franchised his recipe to his friend Pete Harman of South Salt Lake, Utah , the operator of one of the city's largest restaurants. The Sanders Court & Café generally served travelers, so when the route planned in 1955 for Interstate 75 bypassed his properties, Sanders sold them and traveled
11270-441: Was "re-commissioned" as a Kentucky Colonel in 1950 by his friend, Governor Lawrence Wetherby . In 1952, Sanders franchised his secret recipe "Kentucky Fried Chicken" for the first time, to Pete Harman of South Salt Lake, Utah , the operator of one of that city's largest restaurants. In the first year of selling the product, restaurant sales more than tripled, with 75% of the increase coming from sales of fried chicken. For Harman,
11385-561: Was 14, he moved to southern Indiana to work as a farmhand. In 1906, with his mother's approval, Sanders left the area to live with his uncle in New Albany, Indiana . His uncle worked for the streetcar company, and secured Sanders a job as a conductor. Sanders falsified his date of birth and enlisted in the United States Army in October 1906 (age 16), completing his service commitment as
11500-417: Was 2.33, and the average family size was 2.91. The age distribution was 21.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males. The median household income was $ 33,044 and the median family income was $ 43,674. Males had
11615-429: Was 21.5% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% 65 or older. The median age was 41.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males. The median household income was $ 41,586 and the median family income was $ 54,059. Males had a median income of $ 51,548 versus $ 35,248 for females. The per capita income for
11730-422: Was a key component of KFC advertising until his death in 1980. Despite his death, Sanders remains a key icon of the company as an "international symbol of hospitality". Early official slogans for the company included "North America's Hospitality Dish" (from 1956) and "We fix Sunday dinner seven nights a week". The "finger lickin' good" slogan was used from 1956 and went on to become one of the best-known slogans of
11845-412: Was a way of differentiating his restaurant from competitors; a product from Kentucky was exotic and evoked imagery of Southern hospitality . Harman trademarked the phrase "It's finger lickin' good", which eventually became the company slogan. He also introduced the "bucket meal" in 1957 (14 pieces of chicken, five bread rolls and a pint of gravy in a cardboard bucket). Serving their signature meal in
11960-542: Was among the five fastest to decline in population over the 2010s. At the 2000 census , there were 14,052 people, 5,728 households, and 3,809 families living in the city. The population density was 523.0 inhabitants per square mile (201.9/km ). There were 6,473 housing units at an average density of 240.9 per square mile (93.0/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 84.15% White, 13.98% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.7% some other race, and 1.4% two or more races. 4.4% of
12075-514: Was attended by more than 500 people. His body was also displayed in an open casket during a memorial service that was held at KFC's headquarters in Louisville; about 1,000 to 1,200 people attended the service. Sanders was buried in his characteristic white suit and black western string tie in Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville. His wife, Claudia, died on December 31, 1996, at the age of 94. By
12190-442: Was destroyed in a fire in November 1939, and Sanders had it rebuilt as a motel with a 140-seat restaurant. By July 1940 (age 50), Sanders had finalized his " Secret Recipe " for frying chicken in a pressure fryer that cooked the chicken faster than pan frying . As the United States entered World War II in December 1941, gas was rationed, and as the tourism dried up, Sanders was forced to close his Asheville motel. He went to work as
12305-686: Was diagnosed with acute leukemia in June 1980. He died at Jewish Hospital in Louisville of pneumonia six months later, on December 16, at the age of 90. Sanders had remained active until the month before his death, appearing in his white suit to crowds. His body was laid in state in the rotunda of the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort after a funeral service at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Chapel, which
12420-518: Was founded by Colonel Harland Sanders (1890–1980), an entrepreneur who began selling fried chicken from his roadside restaurant in Corbin, Kentucky , during the Great Depression . Sanders identified the potential of the restaurant- franchising concept, and the first "Kentucky Fried Chicken" franchise opened in Salt Lake City , Utah, in 1952. KFC popularized chicken in the fast-food industry, diversifying
12535-513: Was here that he first served to travelers the recipes that he had learned as a child: fried chicken and other dishes such as steaks and country ham . After four years of serving from his own dining room table, Sanders purchased the larger filling station on the other side of the road and expanded to six tables. By 1936, this had proven successful enough for Sanders to be given the honorary title of Kentucky Colonel by Governor Ruby Laffoon . In 1937 he expanded his restaurant to 142 seats and added
12650-477: Was mostly afraid these new fryers would break down in the middle of business." Brown warned franchisees that they were in violation of their contract if they used the Collectramatic. Brown held his ground on the issue until he learned that his father, John Y. Brown Sr. , who owned multiple KFC franchises, was successfully using the Collectramatic in every franchise he owned. The issue was eventually resolved after Heublein purchased KFC, acquired Hartzog and nullified
12765-518: Was named Tricon Global Restaurants and, at the time, had 30,000 outlets and annual sales of US$ 10 billion (around US$ 16 billion in 2020), making it second in the world only to McDonald's. Tricon was renamed Yum! Brands in May 2002. On March 31, 2011, Priszm , owner of KFC in Canada, went into bankruptcy protection in Ontario and British Columbia. By 2015, KFC was struggling, having lost business to other retailers and being surpassed by Chick-fil-A as
12880-542: Was of Irish and Dutch descent. The family attended the Advent Christian Church . His father was a mild and affectionate man who worked his 80-acre (32 ha) farm until he broke his leg in a fall. He then worked as a butcher in Henryville for two years. Sanders's mother was a devout Christian and strict parent, continually warning her children of "the evils of alcohol, tobacco, gambling, and whistling on Sundays". Sanders's father died in 1895. His mother got work in
12995-434: Was one of the first American fast-food chains to expand internationally, opening outlets in Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico and Jamaica by the mid-1960s. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, it experienced mixed fortunes domestically, as it went through a series of changes in corporate ownership with little or no experience in the restaurant business. In the early 1970s, KFC was sold to the spirits distributor Heublein , which
13110-473: Was taken over by the R. J. Reynolds food and tobacco conglomerate; that company sold the chain to PepsiCo . The chain continued to expand overseas, however, and in 1987 it became the first Western restaurant chain to open in China. It has since expanded rapidly in China , which is now the company's single largest market. PepsiCo spun off its restaurants division as Tricon Global Restaurants, which later changed its name to Yum! Brands . KFC's original product
13225-473: Was the "Get a bucket of chicken, have a barrel of fun" jingle , performed by Barry Manilow . By 1976, KFC was one of the largest advertisers in the US. Since the beginning of the 21st century, fast food has been criticized for its animal welfare record, its links to obesity and its environmental impact. Eric Schlosser 's book Fast Food Nation (2002) and Morgan Spurlock 's film Super Size Me (2004) reflected these concerns. Since 2003, People for
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