KFC: Colonel’s Original Recipe Isn’t Cutting It So Company Is Hoping Chizza Might
KFC hasn’t been on top in the chicken business since 2012. Chick-fil-A blew past Colonel Sanders that year and they haven’t come close since. As a matter of fact, sales has continued to plummet. Parent company Yum! Brands has decided to sink $185 million into KFC to try to turn everything around.
The Chicago Tribune reported that part of the plan is to bring back the once popular Colonel in most of their advertisements. According to Kevin Hochman, KFC’s Chief Marketing Officer, he feels that the world is ready to be reintroduced to the once famous Harland Sanders.
“Young people all have this idea that everyone can be a star on social media. Well, the Colonel was the consummate American showman. People see him as an old person, because we haven’t talked about him in a while. But he was the person with bling before bling was even a word.”
Other plans consist of re-doing the packaging completely. Staff will also adopt a throwback-style red and white uniform. They also plan to change some items on the menu. The original idea was to introduce a Southern-style menu, but their first great idea consists of something completely out of the ordinary.
That’s right. KFC is test marketing Chizza in the Philippines. If it is a success in the Philippines, the United States could be getting the cross between chicken and pizza. Chizza was introduced via KFC Philippines Twitter account.
“Thick crust, thin crust. Don’t think about it. We have our chicken as the pizza crust.”
This isn’t the first time KFC has tried to marry chicken and some other popular food. CNBC reminded us about another menu item that will most likely go the way of the Chizza. It was called the Double Down sandwich. This culprit consisted of a bacon and cheese in between two pieces of fried chicken acting as the bread. There was also the counterpart item the Double Down Dog, a hot dog inside a fried chicken style bun.
What do you think of KFC’s next big idea? Can the Chizza turn KFC around? Will pizza covered chicken help put Colonel Sanders back ahead of the likes of Chick-fil-A and Popeye’s, or will it go the way of the Double Down Sandwich or Double Down Dog? Do you see yourself ordering the Chizza, or has the executives at Yum! Brands and KFC completely missed the mark on what the public wants?
[Photo by KFC]
