Kentucky Fried Chicken

Yum! Brands-owned Kentucky Fried Chicken is a fast food franchise specializing in fried chicken and other southern foods. The trademark product of KFC is their "original recipe" chicken, though their "extra crispy" variety is also a consistently popular menu item.

Fast Facts

1. Founded: 1952
2. Headquarters: Louisville, Kentucky
3. President: Gregg Derrick
4. Mascot: The Colonel
5. Employees: Over 24,000
6. Locations in over 100 countries
7. Over 1800 locations in China alone
8. April 2007: Eliminated trans fat in their cooking oils

History

Colonel Harland Sanders served fried chicken for decades before the first Kentucky Fried Chicken was opened in 1952. Sanders created franchise agreements with several restauranteurs and sold his chicken to over 600 restaurants by the 1960s. Sanders sold all ownership of the franchises for $2 million in 1964 and the brand name went through several owners before being bought by PepsiCo.

PETA Controversy

PETA and other animal rights organizations have protested the treatment of chickens on factory farms and slaughterhouses that supply KFC. Pamela Anderson, Ryan Gosling and other celebrities have leant their support to the PETA website "Kentucky Fried Cruelty." KFC has defended their practice, saying that their chicken suppliers are consistently monitored for ethical practices.

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