Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is flying away from Kentucky, moving from its ancestral home state and heading to Texas.
The shake-up was announced Tuesday by KFC’s parent company Yum! Brands, which is relocating the chain’s U.S. corporate office to Plano, Texas.
About 100 KFC corporate employees will be relocated in the next six months, according to Yum! Brands, which owns KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.
Many political leaders in Kentucky spoke out about the relocation of KFC’s corporate office from Louisville, Kentucky.
Andy Beshear, the governor of Kentucky, said he was “disappointed” by the news.
“I am disappointed by this decision and believe the company’s founder would be, too,” Beshear said in a statement. “This company’s name starts with Kentucky, and it has marketed our state’s heritage and culture in the sale of its product. My hope is that the company will rethink moving Kentucky Fried Chicken employees out of Kentucky.”
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg also expressed disappointment with the corporate reshuffling of workers to Texas, noting that the brand “was born here and is synonymous with Kentucky.”
“I’ve asked to meet with the Yum CEO soon and am heartened Yum will retain its corporate headquarters and 560 employees here,” Greenberg said in his statement. “I will work tirelessly with Yum’s leadership to continue growing its presence in Louisville.”
Sarah Davasher-Wisdom, president and CEO of Greater Lousiville Inc., said, “KFC is a Greater Louisville homegrown company that has become one of the largest restaurant chains in the world over the last 90 years. While GLI is disappointed to see the relocation of some employees from our region, we are optimistic that Yum! will continue its long-standing partnership with our community.”
Others on social media criticized the brand’s decision to change locations.
“Ummm… if #KFC is moving its headquarters from Louisville, Kentucky, to Plano, Texas, is it still Kentucky Fried Chicken?!” one person wrote.
Get daily National news
“KFC MOVING HEADQUARTERS FROM KENTUCKY TO TEXAS. TEXAS FRIED CHICKEN REBRAND,” another added.
“Makes complete sense, it’s not like the K in KFC stands for Kentucky or anything like that,” another X user wrote.
“Are we calling it Texas Fried Chicken now?” another wrote.
Yum! Brands said the move is part of its broader plan to designate two brand headquarters in the U.S. in Plano and Irvine, Calif. KFC and Pizza Hut will be headquartered in Plano, while Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill will remain based in Irvine, according to the company. They added that 90 U.S.-based employees who have worked remotely will be asked to relocate to the campus over the next 18 months.
The company said that Yum! Brands and the KFC Foundation will maintain corporate offices in Louisville.
“These changes position us for sustainable growth and will help us better serve our customers, employees, franchisees and shareholders,” Yum CEO David Gibbs said in a news release.
The company also said KFC will continue its brand presence in Louisville with the goal of building a first-of-its-kind flagship restaurant.
KFC’s — launched by Colonel Harland Sanders with his secret blend of 11 herbs and spices — ties run nearly a century deep in Kentucky. In 1930, at a service station in Corbin, Ky., Sanders began feeding travellers and spent the next nine years perfecting his blend of herbs and spices, as well as the basic cooking technique, KFC’s website says.
When Sanders died in 1980, Kentucky’s state flags flew at half-mast and more than 1,000 people attended his funeral, where Pat Boone sang.
According to the fried chicken chain’s website, there are now over 30,000 KFC outlets in more than 150 countries and territories around the world.
— With files from The Associated Press
