KFC’s move to Texas
KFC announced on Tuesday that it will be relocating its U.S. headquarters from Louisville, Kentucky, to Plano, Texas. The move will take place over the next six months, with approximately 100 employees expected to relocate alongside the headquarters.
Reaction from Kentucky officials
Governor Andy Beshear expressed disappointment over the decision, stating, “I am disappointed by this decision and believe the company’s founder would be, too. This company’s name starts with Kentucky, and it has marketed our state’s heritage and culture in the sale of its product.”
Yum! Brands’ broader relocation plan
According to Yum! Brands, the parent company of KFC, the relocation is part of a strategic plan to establish two corporate headquarters—one in Plano, Texas, and another in Irvine, California. In addition to the 100 KFC employees moving to Texas, Yum! Brands has also asked around 90 remote employees to relocate within the next 18 months.
KFC to maintain a presence in Kentucky
Despite the move, KFC and the KFC Foundation will continue to operate corporate offices in Louisville, Kentucky. The company is also planning to open a flagship store in the city.
“These changes position us for sustainable growth and will help us better serve our customers, employees, franchisees, and shareholders,” said David Gibbs, CEO of Yum! Brands. “Bringing more of our people together on a consistent basis will maximize our unrivaled culture and talent as a competitive advantage. I’m confident this is another important step in growing our iconic restaurant brands globally.”
The history of KFC
KFC was founded by Colonel Harland Sanders in the 1930s, when he began serving fried chicken to travelers at a roadside motel in Kentucky. The company opened its first official restaurant in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1952, with Pete Harman as the first franchisee.
Initially, Sanders sold his fried chicken from service stations in Nicholasville and Corbin, Kentucky, experimenting with a pressure cooker and a blend of 11 herbs and spices. In 1964, he sold the company to investors led by John Y. Brown Sr. and Jack C. Massey. Over the years, KFC underwent multiple leadership changes before merging with Pizza Hut and Taco Bell when PepsiCo spun off its restaurant division in 1997, later rebranding as Yum! Brands in 2002.
KFC’s global presence
Currently, KFC operates more than 30,000 restaurants across 150 countries, making it one of the largest fast-food chains in the world.
