KFC Breaks New Ground In Kenya

In a first for American restaurant chains, KFC has opened its debut unit in East Africa. The Nairobi outlet is the first American fast-food restaurant in the region’s most developed economy. The 100-seat unit opened in August.

Creating a KFC unit in Kenya had been in the works for more than a year; it took that period of time to secure a Kenyan chicken supplier equipped to meet the quality control standards set by KFC parent company Yum! Brands. Kenya does have fast-food chains from South Africa, including Steers, a hamburger restaurant.

Other chains have been reluctant to enter East Africa because of concerns over meeting supply chain guidelines, but that could change if KFC finds success there. KFC operates more than 600 units in South Africa, and plans to open 15 more stores in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in the next three years.