history founded colonel entrepreneur began selling fried chicken restaurant kentucky great depression identified potential restaurant franchise opened salt_lake_city utah popularized chicken fast food industry market challenging established dominance branding colonel founder prominent figure american cultural history image remains widely advertising company rapid expansion large manage sold company group investors led fast food chains expand internationally opening outlets england mexico jamaica mid-1960s 1970s 80s experienced mixed success domestically went series changes corporate ownership little experience restaurant business early 1970s sold spirits distributor taken food tobacco later sold chain chain continued expand overseas western restaurant chain open china spun restaurants division changed proved focused owner number outlets declined company continued grow asia south_america africa chain expanded outlets countries territories outlets china largest market origin born raised farm outside indiana father died ends meet mother took work canning plant eldest child age left care siblings turned seven mother taught cook leaving family home age pursued including railroad worker insurance salesman mixed success took shell filling station route outside small city edge june converted small eating area dining table serving meals country travelers took lease pure oil filling station road greater visibility motorists began sell fried chicken improve skills took week restaurant management course business proved successful given honorary title kentucky colonel governor expanded restaurant seats purchased street dissatisfied minutes took prepare chicken iron pan want deep faster process opinion produced dry chicken cooked hand prepared chicken advance order waste end day commercial pressure released market predominantly designed steaming vegetables bought modified pressure prepare chicken new method reduced production time comparable deep opinion retained quality pan fried chicken july finalized came known original recipe herbs publicly revealed recipe admitted use salt pepper claimed ingredients stand everybody shelf recommissioned kentucky colonel governor began dress growing wearing black coat later switching white suit string tie referring colonel associates went title change jokingly earnest according biographer early generally served travelers route planned interstate bypassed sold properties traveled market chicken concept restaurant owners independent restaurant owners pay cents chicken sold franchise fee later increased cents exchange secret blend herbs recipe method right advertise likeness successfully chicken recipe utah operator largest restaurants city sign painter hired coined adopted distinguished product deep fried southern fried chicken product found restaurants claimed year selling restaurant sales percent increase coming sale fried chicken utah product kentucky exotic evoked imagery southern franchise led operation success depended work early described virtual founder chain biographer phrase finger good eventually adopted slogan entire chain bundled pieces chicken bread rolls cardboard bucket offered families complete meal test packaging favor called behalf denver know cardboard bought traveling salesman including eventually founded restaurant chain thomas developed rotating red bucket sign early advocate concept pioneered introduced form rolled entire chain thomas sold shares million million regional manager restaurants east mississippi founding moved company headquarters kentucky offered superior transport links distribute pressure advertising material sale rapid growth popularized chicken fast food industry market challenging established dominance company restaurants grown making largest fast food operation united_states met young kentucky salesman explained keen join company instead proposed sale company business skills come naturally lacked obvious willing heir relatives lacking sufficient funds brown convinced provide percent acquisition capital provided major contribution smaller contributions franchise holder company officials began doubts selling company members family group acquired company million million contract included lifetime salary agreement company quality controller trademark brown introduced fragmented company visiting operations utah began implement stand model entire chain ordered menu items concentrate products restaurants branded distinctive red white striped color pattern roofs roll stores accelerated company growth outlets exclusively selling fried chicken proved appealing potential despite selling company retained significant moral authority executives feelings clear disagreed corporate decisions moved company headquarters kentucky nashville tennessee quoted saying ain matter slick silk suited son bitch says believed company contract opened operations canada arguing contract granted exclusive rights operate forced canadian activities owned million worth stock prevent listing company publicly points issue addressed brown claimed rights process chicken canada contract guarantee exclusive rights canada sold stock company went public going public company bought directly operated later year resigned day day management company remained chairman brown announced headquarters moved louisville kentucky sixth largest restaurant chain sales volume percent sales brown felt company expand quickly emerging rivals steal company lead outlets opened company growth pushed stock value levels according listed entered ventures companies brown believed colonel brand market launched kentucky beef restaurant chain colonel ventures quickly failed beef chain outlets year entered joint venture california based fish chips chain proved successful sold resigned chairman company march brown took role chain reached outlets different countries expansion chaotic poorly executed promoted regional manager complained company corporate sent lot brown lacked skill member senior management described international strategy throwing mud map wall hoping stick outlet japan opened weeks preparation proved costly failure losing opening month chicken sold operational problems clear july company reported profit loss prior month period strained relations large manage grew july brown sold company connecticut based packaged food drinks corporation million billion brown personally gained million sale opined takeover probably saved company disaster planned increase volume sales marketing expertise began taking market share offering indoor seating product introduced extra chicken introduction spare ribs caused tremendous operating problems product launched shortage pork pushed prices customers willing pay management withdrew product realized fried chicken sales decreasing increasingly selling company relationship new owners began complain company declining food quality media god horrible buy tap water cents thousand gallons mix flour end pure paste thing new recipe world damn fried stuck chicken prompted kentucky unsuccessfully attempt sue libel attempted sue opened restaurant kentucky colonel house retaliation attempted sue million million alleged image promoting products helped develop ability franchise restaurants spokesman described suit settled court million million allowed restaurant venture ahead reworked dinner house previous experience operation fast food outlets led fail overseas markets hong_kong company abandoned years operation continued attack publicly complained company doesn know downright embarrassing image associated poor quality product company owned stores promoted run chain miles credited saving ailing company basics formula miles refurbished stores introduced indoor seating drive windows electronic produced daily customer counts profit loss statements problems identified quickly expanded internationally 1970s 80s particularly japan australia united_kingdom miles lured listened recommendations business subsequent changes resulted months consecutive store sales increases late died pneumonia age having continued travel miles year time largely car promoting product branding colonel prominent figure american cultural history image remains widely advertising outlets worldwide located different countries year general acquired percent fearing hostile takeover approached tobacco firm act white knight acquire company billion year resigned chairman role ceo took role contend introduction mcdonald chain introduced brand chicken called dedicated million capital expansion acquisition july sold book value million billion time interests soft drinks owned restaurant chains order pay debt related recent purchase concentrate tobacco packaged food business anticipated bring merchandising expertise company believed chain suffering corporate neglect menu mixed marketing messages felt chain revived chairman opinion treated restaurants division hobby acquisition seen analysts means company increase soft drinks sales chairman denied soft drink preference factor takeover management previously given freedom sell soft drinks wanted stated hoped convince stock products takeover outlets sold switched company owned stores soft drinks immediate effect purchase led fast food competitors switching switch chairman stated interests conflict support company trying customers customers switched returned citing growth chains large factor switch majority agreed stock soft drink products november western restaurant chain china outlet beijing quarter sales rose percent million july president ceo left order ceo replaced international growth disputes august proposed amendments existing contract weak franchises existing restaurants competition new outlets right increase royalty fees contract proved controversial countered lawsuit issue resolved accused manner believed holding firm growth believed backbone company succession indifferent corporate owners spent million restructuring company operations worldwide invested additional million outlets million new computer system link outlet cash registers kitchen drive window manager office company headquarters expanded chain non traditional locations beginning limited menu assembly plant ohio chain built outlets bring total number sales grew billion chain contend rise chicken americans increasingly health conscious found competing growing restaurant chain introduced chicken delays product development cramped ongoing contract dispute prevented chain rolling product march officially adopted chain widely known change advised brand agency research demonstrated percent customers associated initials spokesman chain said represented menu moving away solely fried products president admitted change attempt distance chain fried praised timed nation hand editorial stated chain word fried ill conceived damaging clear brand early 1990s saw successful major products launched chain including hot wings launched chicken outside chicken style chicken colonel introduced percent outlets despite million investment marketing product failed gain sales traction launch chicken designed appeal health conscious customers failed customers disliked unfamiliar texture product resulted increased contributed percent decline operating profits june singapore chosen launch breakfast menu products included chicken eggs sold colonel banner singapore chosen launch growth breakfast market country division struggled weakest restaurants division sales particular success japan half company turnover came outside accounted percent sales announced looking unlimited opportunity growth asia leading western fast food chain south_korea china thailand malaysia indonesia second mcdonald asian markets including japan singapore overseas operations flourished local management ignored defied orders louisville headquarters appointed president total outlets worldwide including outlets employees year chain began struggle competitors mcdonald introduced value menu offerings disappointing set quarterly earnings left company january wake executives marketing backgrounds charged reviving company appointed ceo appointed president north_america introduced successful new products strips chicken chicken pot pie chain major new product launches years credits improved open relationship introduction new items invented arkansas pot pie similarly developed alongside popular items corn removed menu time scaled increasing competition sister companies begun offering chicken products attacked marketing company repaired relationship immediately dropping contentious contract terms proposed chairman years previously contract restored including mile outlet zone parent company gained greater control national advertising colonel product introduced new non fried item called tender served piece fried chicken contrast product sold quarter half chicken portions oversaw fiscal quarters consecutive growth result success president ceo entire organization spin later august spun poorly performing restaurants division public company valued billion billion performing executive admitted restaurants weren new company named outlets annual sales billion billion time making second mcdonald global sales turn 21st century fast food criticised animal welfare record links environmental impact book film super size reflected concerns people protested choice suppliers worldwide campaign held thousands demonstrations home towns executives ceo soaked fake blood president said producer chickens stated major food products opportunity responsibility influence way animals supplied treated responsibility seriously monitoring suppliers ongoing basis renamed year chain contend launch fried chicken offerings pizza chains months chicken successful launch time sales million september sales percent previous year experienced years weak sales product development left brand looking tired poorly positioned according independent chicken product line introduced proved unsuccessful worldwide flu scare temporarily decreased sales percent responded march adding cheap small chicken menu called proved chain successful product launches date million sales international markets introduced meal sized wrap box began brand image bringing outlets returning portraits colonel prominence launched markets line frozen product attempt introduce meals marketed teenagers april double sandwich launched criticised product featured pieces fried chicken lieu conventional bread proved success company million double downs sold worldwide march march september chicken little sandwich returned december outlets countries territories world second largest restaurant chain world sales mcdonald april announced quarter sales risen percent china following percent fall july chinese authorities closed shanghai operations amidst allegations supplied expired meat immediately terminated contract supplier stated revelation led significant decline sales
History of KFC