The Story of KFC

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Colonel Sanders is the official face of KFC, a...Image via Wikipedia

Do you recognize the genial looking old man in white suit in the KFC logo? It is Colonel Harland Sanders.

Read on, if you still haven’t heard his rags to riches story.

Sanders first served his fried chicken in 1930. In 1935 he was granted the title of honorary Kentucky Colonel in recognition of his contribution to the state's cuisine. In 1940 Sanders devised what came to be known as his Original Recipe. The Sanders Court & Café generally served travelers headed to Florida. But he had to shut down his restaurant business because a new highway was being built where his restaurant was located. The only option for Colonel Sanders was to live off of $105 in the form of social security checks. Not wanting to accept that as his fate, he decided to franchise his chicken recipe at the age of 65.

He started travelling by car to different restaurants and cooked his fried chicken on the spot for restaurant owners. If the owner liked the chicken, they would enter into a handshake agreement to sell the Colonel’s chicken. The deal was that, for each piece of chicken the restaurant sold, Sanders would receive a nickel. The restaurant would receive packets of Colonel’s secret herbs and spices in order to avoid them knowing the recipe.

But it was not an easy journey, most of the restaurant owners were not willing to listen or taste Sanders’ recipe. He had to face rejections after rejections. With less money and not even a single deal in place Sanders had to sleep in his car to save the lodging money. But he believed that there is a “Yes” hiding behind all the “No’s”. Finally after making 1009 failed calls, the 1010th restaurant accepted Sanders deal. From then on it caught up like a wild fire.

By 1964, Colonel Sanders had 600 franchises selling his trademark chicken and he sold his company for $2 million dollars but remained as a spokesperson. In 1976, the Colonel was ranked as the world’s second most recognizable celebrity. Despite his death in 1980, at the age of 90, Sanders remains a key symbol of the company in its advertising and branding.

Every day, more than 12 million customers are served at KFC restaurants in 109 countries and territories around the world. KFC operates more than 5,200 restaurants in the United States and more than 15,000 units around the world. KFC is world famous for its Original Recipe® fried chicken, made with the same secret blend of 11 herbs and spices Colonel Harland Sanders perfected more than a half-century ago.

It’s amazing how a man could start his career at the age of 65, when most retire, and build a global empire out of fried chicken.

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