Recently, a piece of news has shaken the global fast-food industry. According to a report by American Broadcasting Company, KFC Africa has officially announced that it will unveil the highly anticipated fried chicken recipe on October 8. So far, KFC headquarters has not responded to this.
KFC’s fried chicken recipe has been kept secret for 54 years, known only to a handful of the company’s top executives. The company has only stated that the recipe is “a blend of 11 secret herbs and spices.” On the X platform (formerly Twitter), to enhance customer curiosity and impression, KFC’s official account only follows 11 people – seven randomly selected men named “Herb” (meaning herb or spice) and four female members of the “Spice Girls” (whose group name also has spice connotations).
Grant McPherson, Chief Marketing and Digital Officer of KFC Africa, stated: “For years, people have been asking us about the secret recipe. They’ve tried to guess it, begged for it, and competitors have tried their best to copy it. Now we’ve decided that the world can finally share in this recipe. We believe that revealing the recipe will be beneficial to everyone.” McPherson also mentioned that on the day of the October 8 reveal, KFC will also disclose why this particular date was chosen for the unveiling.
As for why such a bold decision was made, McPherson believes: “History will determine whether this is a brilliant move, but we believe it’s good for us, and most importantly, good for Africa.” He added: “Obviously, there will be much speculation about why we’re giving up this valuable asset. Our loyal customers might wonder if this will diminish the mystique of KFC as a globally recognized fast-food brand. We don’t think so, and everything will be clear on October 8. Until then, all speculation and opinions are just that – speculation and opinions.”
After the news broke, food enthusiasts around the world began discussing it. The US “East Coast Radio” food channel analyzed: “This move is either a playful joke by the Colonel, or a genuine action that will change the fast-food industry landscape.” The program suggests that if KFC’s fried chicken recipe is truly revealed, the consequences are hard to predict: “It’s possible that customer loyalty to KFC could increase, or we could witness the largest-scale betrayal in history, with people rushing to supermarkets to buy spices and recreate the KFC taste at home.”
