Fastfood giant KFC leaves Kentucky home for Texas

KFC, the fast-food restaurant chain formerly known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is moving its corporate headquarters in the US from Louisville in Kentucky to Plano in Texas, according to a statement from its parent company, Yum Brands.

About 100 corporate employees and dozens more remote workers will be required to move and will receive relocation support.

The decision by Yum Brands is part of a plan to have two headquarters for its main brands — KFC and Pizza Hut will be headquartered in Plano, while Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill will remain in Irvine, California.

In recent years, many companies have relocated to Texas attracted by the state’s lower taxes and business-friendly policies.

“These changes position us for sustainable growth and will help us better serve our customers, employees, franchisees and shareholders,” said David Gibbs, the chief executive of Yum Brands in the company’s statement.

Yum also expressed hope the plan will boost collaboration between its employees and brands.

The statement added that Yum will be maintaining it corporate offices as well as the KFC Foundation in Louisville.

The governor of the state of Kentucky, Andy Beshea, has criticised the move to relocate KFC’s headquarters, according to a statement given to the Associated Press.

“I am disappointed by this decision and believe the company’s founder would be, too,” Mr Beshear reportedly said.

“This company’s name starts with Kentucky, and it has marketed our state’s heritage and culture in the sale of its product.”

KFC’s history in the state dates back to the 1930s, when its founder Colonel Harland Sanders began selling fried chicken at a service station in Corbin.

Today, Sanders’ face is emblazoned on the shop fronts of more than 24,000 KFC restaurants in over 145 countries and territories around the world.

Since the pandemic, many US companies have moved their headquarters. According to a report by real estate services firm CBRE, Austin and other Texan cities have been particularly successful due to the state’s business-friendly environment.