Yes, it’s true. KFC is launching a new restaurant chain China, one that boasts a ‘healthy’ menu very different from the ‘Finger Lickin’ Good’ selection we’ve come to know and love here in the West. No Buckets or Double-Downs. And the familiar red-and-white colour scheme is nowhere to be seen…
The new chain is called K Pro and its slogan, emblazoned in neon in its front windows, is ‘Eat Your Greens’. Really.
You can’t get Fried Chicken, and The Colonel’s face is conspicuous in its absence. No Gravy, no classic KFC salads and no Fries. Well, yes, you can get Sweet Potato Fries.
What you can get is Salads galore, Fresh Juices and Panini-style Sandwiches featuring a selection of proteins including Shrimp, Smoked Salmon and Grilled Chicken.
One menu item that has come across the Great Divide unscathed is… Soft Serve Ice Cream. Go figure.
The colour scheme of the place is keyed on ‘leafy green’ with browns and other earth tones in support. The decor is clean and modern and there is lots of seating. Reminded me of the prototype design of The McDonald’s of the Future…
Industry observers say KFC China really did have to undergo a major reinvention, after a major scandal involving suppliers selling expired meat to the chain and rumors that went viral that KFC was serving ‘mutant Chicken’. Here’s hoping a wholesale change of name, menu and visual identity will be enough to swing the deal…
~ Maggie J.