KGC? Kentucky Fried Chicken Testing New Grilled Chicken

LOUISVILLE, Ky., March 24 /PRNewswire/ -- For over 65 years, Kentucky Fried Chicken has served up Colonel Sanders' famous Original Recipe(R) fried chicken. Now KFC is market testing a revolutionary finger lickin' new menu addition -- Kentucky Grilled Chicken.

"This great tasting product will help KFC continue to evolve and increase our relevance among consumers looking for nonfried menu options. It's the latest and most exciting of many recent menu innovations at KFC," said Gregg Dedrick, President of KFC. "And, as always, it will deliver the great flavor our customers have come to expect."

Currently being tested in Indianapolis, Colorado Springs, San Diego, Oklahoma City, Jacksonville, Fla., and Austin, Texas, KFC's Kentucky Grilled Chicken is expected to be unveiled nationwide in early 2009.

Kentucky Grilled Chicken

The introduction of Grilled Chicken would mark a significant evolution to the KFC menu. The new product is designed to appeal to KFC lovers who say they want nonfried options while staying true to the great taste and quality of KFC's traditional menu.

Kentucky Grilled Chicken is marinated and seasoned with a savory blend of secret herbs and spices and then grilled to juicy perfection. KFC's Grilled Chicken has between 60 to 180 calories and 3 to 9 grams of fat. Original Recipe(R) chicken has between 130 to 360 calories and 8 to 24 grams of fat. Kentucky Grilled Chicken prices will be on par with KFC's fried menu items.

"We have worked tirelessly to develop a grilled product that would have met Colonel Sanders' high expectations for flavor and taste," commented Doug Hasselo, Chief Food Innovation Officer at KFC. "We're confident the Colonel would have given this grilled recipe his seal of approval. It truly is finger lickin' good."

A Packaging Twist

The flavorful grilled chicken isn't the only thing new about this introduction. Even the Colonel's iconic bucket has a new and exciting look. KFC locations serving Grilled and Fried Chicken will do so in buckets that are half red and half white -- a design unlike any other in the 50-plus year history of the bucket. This version includes "Kentucky Grilled Chicken" graphics on the white side and "Kentucky Fried Chicken" graphics on the red side. Of course, images of KFC's world famous founder Colonel Sanders will also adorn the bucket, which is designed to communicate the variety of menu offerings at KFC.

Ad Support with Presidential Appeal

Kentucky Grilled Chicken will be supported with three new television commercials created by DraftFCB, Chicago. Most notably, a 30 second commercial will star KFC's president Gregg Dedrick delivering a message that the new Grilled Chicken has a taste worthy of the name KFC. The backdrop for the commercial is a KFC storefront getting outfitted with a new sign reading -- Kentucky Fried (& Grilled) Chicken.

Focused on the Nutritionals

In addition to offering new items, KFC is committed to examining the nutritional profile of its current menu items. The brand made significant strides with its transition to zero grams trans fat per serving fried chicken in April 2007. KFC is also currently making strides to reduce sodium on a variety of menu items.

This transformation to reach new audiences is happening beyond the menu. KFC's evolution is communicated in its new "Life Tastes Better with KFC" advertising campaign, which has a youthful and contemporary approach.

For more information on KFC and its menu, visit http://www.KFC.com. KFC provides complete nutrition information on all our menu items so that consumers can make informed choices based on their personal dietary goals.

About KFC

KFC Corporation, based in Louisville, Ky., is the world's most popular chicken restaurant chain specializing in Original Recipe(R), Extra Crispy(TM) and Colonel's Crispy Strips(R) with home-style sides, Honey BBQ Wings, and freshly made chicken sandwiches. There are more than 14,000 KFC outlets in more than 80 countries and territories around the world, serving some 12 million customers each day. KFC Corporation is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., Louisville, Ky. .

KFC Corporation

CONTACT: Laurie Schalow of KFC Corporation, +1-502-874-8100,
laurie.schalow@kfc.com ; or Molly Steinkrauss, +1-312-988-2383,
msteinkr@webershandwick.com , for KFC Corporation

Web site: http://www.KFC.com/