KFC to spend £1.49b in UK and Ireland growth plan
This will create 7,000 jobs.
KFC will invest £1.49b for its growth plans in the UK and Ireland, a major expansion push that will see more flagship sites and drive-thru locations built across the region.
The move comes as KFC calculates the UK fried chicken market to be worth £3.1b, with consumer demand for fried chicken outstripping other QSR categories
Of the £1.49b, £466m will be used to open new restaurants. Part of this figure will also be spent on upgrading more than 200 existing KFC restaurants – 20% of the KFC estate - with a fresh new design and the latest digital capabilities to help deliver a best-in-class experience for customers and team members
Through its expansion, KFC will create over 7,000 new jobs within its UK&I business and across its supply chain over the next five years, an investment totalling £583m. These new roles in the restaurant include customer-facing team member jobs, kitchen-based roles cooking up KFC’s iconic chicken, restaurant managers and a newly created guest experience lead role tasked with improving the customer experience in the restaurant. All roles offer a range of training and development opportunities to support fast career progression at KFC.
In addition to investing in restaurants and job creation, £404m of the £1.49b investment will strengthen KFC’s long-standing relationships with its suppliers and help businesses across the UK&I continue to grow.
Pilgrim’s Europe, supplying fresh chicken from farms across the UK, Buckinghamshire-based McCormick making KFC’s fan-favourite gravy, Nature’s Way growing crispy salads at farms in Chichester, and software company Fourth supplying the technology powering KFC’s restaurant operations are all set to benefit from KFC’s growth and investment in the UK&I.
KFC’s investment will contribute a further £169m of direct gross value added (GVA) to the UK economy over the next five years, through building new restaurants, hiring more people, spending more with UK suppliers, and increasing the earning and spending potential of its employees and partners.
“We’ve been serving customers in the UK for 60 years now, but we’ve never seen such strong demand for freshly prepared, fried chicken as we’re seeing today. As the market leader and a near-£2b revenue business, we’re incredibly well positioned to unlock this opportunity. That’s why we’re doubling down on our commitment to the UK&I with a major investment in our restaurants, and in the suppliers who have been so crucial to our success, which will create jobs in local communities across the country,” Rob Swain, General Manager KFC UK & Ireland, said.
