KFC is announcing two new restaurants in Haryana, India, and Bucharest, Romania. A new KFC opens somewhere in the world every 3.5 hours and, in 2024, KFC plans to enter its 150th country. This global growth is fueled by KFC's mission to serve feel-good food, at scale, through inclusive, equitable and sustainable business practices.

"As one of the fastest-growing retail brands in the world, our growth is driven by our passion to lead with inclusivity, build with purpose, drive system sales and grow our brand in every market that we operate," said Sabir Sami, CEO of KFC Global. "I'm humbled by these achievements and see this as an opportunity to celebrate the incredible work of every business partner and team member as we continue to share the joy of our best-tasting fried chicken with more of the world."

With over 29,000 restaurants, KFC serves billions of people while also creating nearly one million jobs worldwide. KFC leverages the strength of its long-standing relationships with its trusted franchise partners to build momentum and scale growth.

"While we're a global brand, we aim to meet the unique needs and expectations of our guests on a local level, ensuring that restaurants are designed to connect with the local community and feel paired with menus that resonate with the local culture and flavors," said Nivera Wallani, chief development officer of KFC Global. "We are keenly focused on sustainable growth and building with purpose. Globally, we are scaling efficiently, while collaborating with our partners on industry-leading business practices and innovative ideas." 

Set to open 1,000^th restaurant in India

KFC's 1,000th restaurant in India is slated to open before the end of the year in DLF Cyber Hub in Gurgaon, Haryana. KFC's growth in India is accomplished in partnership with two major franchise partners, Devyani International Ltd. and Sapphire Foods India Ltd., who help run over 900 restaurants in the country. The 1,000th restaurant is being opened with Devyani, which has been a partner with Yum Brands for over two decades.

Since 1995, KFC has strengthened its brand distinctiveness throughout India while continuing to expand its core menu by adding flavors such as KFC's Peri Peri Chicken.

KFC India has worked on local sustainable development with over 20 restaurants that integrate energy efficiency, the use of responsible materials and the application of waste diversion across design and operations. These restaurants have also committed to ensuring that all plastic-based, consumer-facing packaging will be recoverable or reusable by 2025. 

KFC's local social purpose program Kshamata helps to bridge the gender and ability gap by empowering women and people with disabilities, which comes to life in part through KFC India's 38 restaurants operated by employees who are speech- and hearing-impaired.

Opens 1,000th restaurant in Central and Eastern Europe

KFC's 1,000th restaurant in Central and Eastern Europe opens in Bucharest, Romania. Many of these restaurants exemplify digital-forward features such as modern kiosks, digitized drive-thrus, updated e-commerce platforms and data-informed artificial intelligence. Sustained and local growth is fueled by restaurant expansion, specifically in rural communities throughout the country.

KFC CEE has the ambition to be the leading quick-service restaurant in the region, with an average of 100 stores slated to open annually. As the restaurants scale, KFC also grows its employee base, leveraging its S.T.A.R.T. Refugees Program to hire more than 2,500 refugees over the next three years. 

Maria Cacciapuoti, general manager in Central Eastern Europe, leads the region's operations with a focus on scaling a talented team and leveraging partnerships with 20 franchisees across 26 countries to maintain its status as a high-performing region.

Source: KFC