South Africans can’t get enough fast chicken
Burgers, steaks, pizzas, you can forget ‘em all. South Africa is officially all about fast chicken, says the data.
Despite a recent avian flu outbreak, South Africans cannot get enough fast chicken. This is according to a report by Daily Investor, which rates Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) as the most prolific fast-food brand in South Africa.
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And how do we know South Africans love their fast chicken, exactly? Well, the American fried chicken franchise boasts 1 052 stores in South Africa. Which, get this, puts us fifth in the world for the most KFCs. This is according to KC’s owner Yum! Brands’ financial results for the third quarter of 2023. Fast chicken, anyone!?
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WE LOVE FAST CHICKEN
Globally, KFC turned 75-years old this year. Today, company can claim 27 000 restaurants in over 145 countries/territories around the world. Get this, there is a new KFC opening somewhere in the world every six hours. And we have more fast chicken joints from KFC than the United Kingdom and we narrowly miss out by one to Thailand for fourth.
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Locally, Kentucky Fried Chicken first opened in the country in 1971. Interestingly, in 1987, the company divested its outlets to a South African holding company called Devco. This happened when the US government forbid American companies from owning South African assets during Apartheid. The company reacquired everything when sanctions were lifted in 1994.
FRANCHISEE SUCCESS
Of the 1052 KFCs in South Africa, only 49 are owned directly, the other 1 003 are franchisee-owned. According to its latest study by Eighty20, 10 million South Africans eat KFC at least once a month. In terms of the fast chicken outlet’s biggest markets globally, here’s how they rank in 2023:
| Rank | Country | Number of outlets |
| 1. | China | 9 917 |
| 2. | United States | 3 890 |
| 3. | Japan | 1 210 |
| 4. | Thailand | 1 053 |
| 5. | South Africa | 1 052 |
| 6. | United Kingdom | 1 001 |
| 7. | India | 950 |
| 8. | Indonesia | 770 |
| 9. | Australia | 759 |
| 10. | Indonesia | 749 |
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