Kentucky Fried Chicken will no longer be based in Kentucky; here's where the chain is moving
Kentucky Fried Chicken announced Tuesday that it is relocating their corporate office from Kentucky to a new location.
Kentucky Fried Chicken is moving its U.S. corporate office to Plano, Texas and 100 KFC corporate workers will be moving in the next six months, the Associated Press reported, citing Yum Brands, which owns KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut.
What they're saying
Yum tells the AP that the relocation is part of a plan to have two brand headquarters in the U.S. in Plano, Texas and Irvine, California.
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KFC and Pizza Hut will be headquartered in Plano, Texas, while Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill are still based in Irvine, California. Yum explained to the AP that 90 U.S.-based workers who have worked remotely will be asked to relocate to the campus where their work happens.
The other side
"I am disappointed by this decision and believe the company's founder would be, too," Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in a statement obtained by the AP. "This company's name starts with Kentucky, and it has marketed our state's heritage and culture in the sale of its product."
The AP reported that Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg was also disappointed with the move of corporate employees to Texas, sharing that the brand "was born here and is synonymous with Kentucky."
The backstory
Colonel Harland Sanders launched the KFC chain. In 1930, at a service station in Corbin, Kentucky, Sanders started feeding travelers and spent the next nine years creating his blend of herbs and spices and refining his cooking technique.
Sanders has his likeness on KFC restaurant signs and buckets. Currently, there are 24,000 KFC restaurants in over 145 countries and territories globally, according to the company's website.
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Local perspective
Yum and the KFC Foundation will maintain corporate offices in Louisville, the company told the Associated Press. Beshear and Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg told the AP they were grateful those jobs are being retained in Kentucky's largest city.
Big picture view
The Associated Press noted that Yum plans to provide a $1 million endowment to the University of Louisville's College of Business to fund Yum-sponsored scholarships.
According to the AP, KFC will continue its brand presence in Louisville with the goal of building a first-of-its-kind flagship restaurant.
The Source
Information for this story was provided by the Associated Press, which shares background on the KFC move and received comments from Yum Brands on the relocation and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.
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