KFC is leaving Kentucky.
The fast food giant, once known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is relocating its corporate office to Texas in a shake-up announced earlier this week.
Started by Colonel Harland Sanders, KFC will be based in Plano, Texas, moving forward.
Around 100 corporate employees will be relocated in the next six months, Yum Brands, KFC’s parent company which also owns Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, said.
In recent years, other companies have also relocated to Texas, a popular destination thanks to its low-tax and business-friendly policies, according to a 2023 report by the CBRE investment firm.
Governor of Kentucky Andy Beshear was quick to respond to the news.
He said: “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.”
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Yum Brands said the move was part of wider plans to set up two brand headquarters in the US – in Texas and in Irvine, California.
KFC and Pizza Hut will be based in Texas and Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill will remain based in California, the company said.
Yum Brands and KFC will maintain offices in Louisville.
“These changes position us for sustainable growth and will help us better serve our customers, employees, franchisees and shareholders,” Yum Brands chief executive David Gibbs said in a statement.
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KFC’s Kentucky ties run almost a century deep.
In 1930, at a service station in Corbin, Kentucky, Mr Sanders began feeding customers, according to the company’s website.
It added there are now over 24,000 KFC outlets in more than 145 countries and territories around the world.
