Yum Brands Sales Soar with Growth Reported Across All Divisions

The company that owns KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Habit Burger Grill is going strong.

On July 29, Yum Brands reported second-quarter earnings, which showed same-store sales growth of 23% from the first quarter, digital sales topping $5 billion and two-year same-store sales increases across all divisions.

Of its brands, Taco Bell posted the strongest two-year same-store sales growth at 12%, followed by Habit Burger Grill at 7%, KFC at 2% and Pizza Hut at 1%.

However, as the pandemic continues to affect stores in different countries, with many still temporarily closed, sales haven’t been consistently positive across all markets.

For instance, two-year same-store sales declined 6% for Pizza Hut Int’l., which includes the impact of about 2% of the stores being closed at the end of the second quarter, while Pizza Hut U.S. saw same-store sales growth of 9% on a two-year basis—including the impact of about 1% of the stores being closed.

Similarly, KFC Int’l. saw same-store sales decline 1% on a two-year basis, while KFC U.S.’s two-year same-store sales grew 19%.

In the second quarter, the brand netted a record 603 new units, a 2% increase.

In response to the brand’s strong second quarter, Yum Brands CEO David Gibbs announced plans to reinstate the company’s long-term growth algorithm and shoot for unit growth between 4% and 5%, up from the previous guidance of 4%.

“The resilience of our diversified global business positions us perfectly to drive growth and maximize value creation for all our stakeholders for years to come,” says Gibbs, who credited Yum Brands’ sustained momentum to investments in digital and off-premise dining.