Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is one of the most famous fast-food restaurants in the world. Colonel Harland Sanders founded KFC at the age of 65.  KFC has enjoyed good business all over the world with the iconic face of Colonel Sanders incorporated in its marketing and advertising promotions.

Fact 1. KFC began as a side income for Colonel Sanders at his service station in Corbin, Kentucky.  Customers started coming in for his chicken. With business enjoying good success, he opened a restaurant.

Fact 2.   In 1976, Colonel Sanders was named as the world’s second most identifiable celebrity.

Fact 3.   Colonel Sanders died of leukemia in 1980 at the age of 90. He was used to traveling 250,000 miles annually visiting his restaurants around the globe.

Fact 4.  The total number of KFC restaurants around the world is 15,000 in 105 countries.

Fact 5.  KFC has started aligning towards changing customers’ tastes by introducing vegetarian items such as Veg Zinger and Veg Snacker. It has also introduced vegetarian products similar to non-vegetarian products.

Fact 6.  Tests of KFC’s Kentucky Grilled Chicken had indicated a carcinogenic chemical, and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine had requested KFC to withdraw the product from sale in 2009.

Fact 7. There have been adverse reports on the method of chicken breeding by KFC’s suppliers who use abusive methods in breeding and killing chickens.

Fact 8.  There have been recommendations for KFC’s suppliers to adopt Animal Care Standard programs in improving the environment chickens are bred and slaughtered in.

Fact 9. KFC enjoys the most sales predominantly within the Asian region where rising standards of living and affluence has created a taste for Western food.

Fact 10. Yum Brands, which owns KFC, says the growth in China has been phenomenal and is forecasting that the China market will become twice as large as the American market within five years.