KFC
Company History
KFC History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1930 in North Corbin, United States
When was KFC founded?
KFC was founded in 1930 in North Corbin, United States by Colonel Harland Sanders, making it 96 years old.
- Founded
- 1930
- Founding place
- North Corbin, United States
- Founders
- Colonel Harland Sanders
- Headquarters today
- Plano, Texas, United States
- Milestones documented
- 12 (1930–2025)
- Current CEO
- Scott Mezvinsky
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1930 | Harland Sanders Serves Meals in Corbin, Kentucky |
| 1939 | Invention of Pressure-Fried Chicken |
| 1952 | First Official Franchise in Salt Lake City |
| 1964 | Sale to John Y. Brown Jr. ($2M) |
| 1971 | Acquired Heublein Inc. Acquisition of KFC |
| 1980 | Richard Mayer becomes CEO |
| 1982 | R. J. Reynolds Acquires Heublein |
| 1986 | PepsiCo Acquires KFC for $850 Million |
| 1987 | First Western Fast Food Chain in China |
| 1991 | Name Shortened to KFC |
| 1997 | Spin-off into Yum! Brands (Tricon) |
| 2025 | CEO Change and Move to Plano, Texas |
- Where was KFC founded?
- KFC was founded in North Corbin, United States in 1930. wikidata.org
- Who founded KFC?
- KFC was founded by Colonel Harland Sanders.
- When did KFC start?
- KFC was founded in 1930.
- How old is KFC?
- KFC is 96 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
Harland Sanders started selling meals to travelers at his service station in Corbin, Kentucky in 1930, later opening a café and motel. He refined a seasoning of 11 herbs and spices and began cooking chicken in pressure fryers to speed up service. In 1952 he licensed the recipe to Pete Harman in Salt Lake City, whose restaurant sold the first 'Kentucky Fried Chicken'. When Interstate 75 bypassed Corbin in the mid-1950s, Sanders sold the café and traveled the country signing franchise deals that paid him a small fee per chicken.
Founders
Colonel Harland Sanders
Harland Sanders (1890-1980) founded Kentucky Fried Chicken. He began serving meals at his Corbin, Kentucky service station in 1930, developed the Original Recipe seasoning and pressure-frying method, and started franchising in 1952 with Pete Harman in Salt Lake City. He sold the company in 1964 to John Y. Brown Jr. and Jack Massey for $2 million and remained its public face until his death in 1980. 'Colonel' was an honorary Kentucky title. Education: La Salle Extension University. Colonel Harland Sanders was born in 1890.
Key Milestones
Harland Sanders Serves Meals in Corbin, Kentucky
Opened a service station dining table on US Route 25 during the Great Depression.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgInvention of Pressure-Fried Chicken
Adapted commercial pressure cookers and finalized the 11 secret herbs and spices recipe.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgFirst Official Franchise in Salt Lake City
Pete Harman opened the first franchised store and pioneered the well-known bucket container.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgSale to John Y. Brown Jr. ($2M)
Sold the company while remaining the lifetime global brand ambassador.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAcquired Heublein Inc. Acquisition of KFC
KFC acquired Heublein Inc. Acquisition of KFC for $285 million.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgRichard Mayer becomes CEO
Richard Mayer became CEO of KFC in 1980. Served as CEO of KFC during its ownership under Heublein and RJR Nabisco in the 1980s, overseeing menu expansion and operational standardization across the global franchise network as the brand accelerated its international growth.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgR. J. Reynolds Acquires Heublein
R. J. Reynolds Industries bought Heublein, the owner of Kentucky Fried Chicken, in 1982.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgPepsiCo Acquires KFC for $850 Million
PepsiCo bought KFC from RJR Nabisco, accelerating global restaurant expansion.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgFirst Western Fast Food Chain in China
Opened near Tiananmen Square in Beijing, initiating decades of market leadership in China.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgName Shortened to KFC
Kentucky Fried Chicken adopted the abbreviated name KFC in 1991.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgSpin-off into Yum! Brands (Tricon)
PepsiCo spun off KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell into an independent public restaurant giant.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgCEO Change and Move to Plano, Texas
Scott Mezvinsky succeeded Sabir Sami as CEO on March 1, 2025; KFC's U.S. corporate office relocated from Louisville to Plano.
Source: businesswire.comKeep researching KFC
KFC Company History FAQ
When and where did Colonel Sanders open his first restaurant?
Colonel Harland Sanders opened his first dining establishment in 1930 inside a Shell service station in Corbin, Kentucky, serving family-style pan-fried chicken, country ham, and biscuits to travelers along US Route 25.
When did Colonel Sanders finalize the 11 herbs and spices Original Recipe?
In July 1940, Colonel Sanders finalized his well-known blend of 11 herbs and spices. Combined with commercial pressure frying, this recipe created the signature flavor and texture that defined the Kentucky Fried Chicken brand.
When did KFC start franchising and introduce the chicken bucket?
KFC began formal franchising in 1952 with Pete Harman in Salt Lake City. In 1957, Harman and Sanders introduced the well-known paper chicken bucket with 14 pieces of chicken, five biscuits, and a pint of gravy, creating the family takeout meal concept.
When did KFC open its first international restaurant outside the United States?
KFC opened its first international restaurant in Preston, England, in May 1965, followed swiftly by expansions into Canada, Australia, and Mexico, establishing KFC as one of the very first American fast-food brands to achieve global scale.
When did KFC make history by entering Mainland China?
In November 1987, KFC opened its first restaurant in Beijing, China, near Tiananmen Square. It became the first Western fast-food chain to enter China, sparking a multi-decade expansion that made KFC China's largest restaurant brand.
Why did the company officially adopt the acronym 'KFC' in 1991?
In 1991, the company officially rebranded from 'Kentucky Fried Chicken' to the acronym 'KFC' to modernize its image, diversify its menu beyond purely fried offerings, and move away from the perceived negative health connotations of the word 'fried'.
What changed at KFC in 2025?
In 2025 Scott Mezvinsky became CEO, KFC U.S. moved its corporate office from Louisville to Plano, Texas, and the chain grew to 33,897 restaurants with about $36.4 billion in system sales.
How big is KFC today?
KFC had 33,897 restaurants at the end of 2025 in about 149 countries and territories, making it the largest chicken chain in the world.
How did KFC start?
KFC began in 1930 when Harland Sanders (later "Colonel" Sanders) started selling meals to travelers from his Shell gas station in Corbin, Kentucky. Because pan-frying chicken took 30 minutes (too long for hungry travelers), Sanders brilliantly bought a newly invented commercial pressure cooker, allowing him to flash-fry his secret recipe in just 9 minutes, completely revolutionizing fast food.
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