The Story Behind KFC - Colonel Sanders..
Colonel Harland Sanders has become a world-known figure by marketing his "finger lickin' good" Kentucky Fried Chicken.
What makes Colonel Sanders' story so amazing, you might ask.
One of the most amazing aspects of his life is the fact that when he reached the age of sixty-five years old, after running a restaurant for several years, Harland Sanders found himself penniless. He retired and received his first social security check which was for one hundred and five dollars. And that was just the beginning of his international fame and financial success story...
Did you know that Colonel Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, was a devout Christian?
Apart from being a successful Christian, he was also a very successful businessman.
He testified that it was his faith in the Lord that provided him with the motivation to succeed even when he was already 65 years old.
He had since gone on to be with the Lord in 1980 but the testimony of his success continues till this day.
Colonel Sanders started out in the food business when he opened a restaurant to complement his automobile service station.
He was quite a creative cook and one of his culinary inventions was a Southern fried chicken. He had marinated this with his own special blend of herbs and spices. Being a curious person, he sought after new ways and methods to improve his cooking.
Soon he learned about a newly invented cooking pot known as the pressure cooker. It was said that this appliance could reduce his cooking time drastically. At that time, his existing customers were already complaining about the food preparation time being too long.
So he decided to try out frying his chicken with this new invention.
To his pleasant surprise, his chicken tasted much better when prepared in this way.
His restaurant business blossomed and grew even beyond that of his automobile service station. Just as he was about to enjoy the success of his restaurant business, a crisis hit him. He was forced to close his restaurant and automobile service station because a new interstate highway had redirected most of his customers elsewhere.
He was then 65 years old and had nowhere else to go.
He could be like many of his aged friends, who had retired and lived off the government retirement benefits. However, that was not the kind of life for the Colonel!
He knew that his special recipe would be his next key to success. Colonel Sanders made a bold decision, took his recipe and pressured cooker and traveled around the United States looking for restaurants that were willing to buy his franchise.
In the 1950s, this idea sounded as crazy as it sounds today.
Imagine an old man with a chicken recipe-franchising scheme, driving around selling franchises that no one ever ask for. This just does not make sense.
Countless restaurant owners rejected Colonel Sanders' franchising scheme.
It was said that not less than 1009 restaurant owners turned him down before he was able to make his first sale.
By 1964, Colonel Sanders had signed up more than 600 franchisees and later sold his business for a huge sum of money.
The rest of the story is history.
What has the story of Colonel Sanders to do with our church growth?
Here are some interesting principles that we can learn from this courageous man:
The Colonel believed in what he had.
Belief is a powerful motivation. Colonel Sanders believed that his chicken recipe was unique and probably the best. He believed that to be a fact even when no one else did. Today, Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants are found worldwide because of that singular conviction.
The church in the Book of Acts was a believing church.
It went through dark time of persecutions and attacks but it triumphed because the apostles and the early Christians believed in what they had.
Do we believe that we, the Church today, have a unique and powerful message to share with the world? Of course, we do! We believe that God has raised us for more than being a ministry to our community but also to the rest of the world.
The Colonel acted on his belief
It was said that Colonel Sanders often slept in his car while he was out selling his franchise.
He even ate the very chicken that he cooked as samples for the restaurants. He did not just expound a theory but acted upon his belief. He was willing to sacrifice so that he could succeed.
Many years ago, Nehemiah believed that the wall of Jerusalem should be built and set out doing it. In spite of tremendous opposition from the enemies, Israel was willing to sacrifice. The citizens believed and stood with their leadership.
They acted together upon that belief. The end result was that the wall was built!
The Colonel refused to respond to his limitation but only to his potential.
Most 65 year-old think that they are too old to launch any new projects.
They are intimidated by the magnitude of these new challenges and so they simply give up. As for the Colonel, he refused to respond to his limitation but only to his potential.
Age was never a barrier but an asset.
He felt that he was more experienced and wiser to fulfil his dream.
In the Bible, Caleb was one of the old Israelite generals who refused to surrender to the limitation of his age. Instead, he believed that the Lord would bless him even at that ripe old age of 80 (Joshua 14:7-14). He was a dreamer who sought only after his potential.
We must learn from these testimonies.
We do not need to surrender to our limitation either. The Lord wants to bless our potentials and we should maximize them for the glory of the Lord. Join a Church today and be active for the kingdom of God.
The Colonel was willing to try new method
One of the primary reasons for Colonel Sanders' success was his willingness to look for new ways to do things. By taking advantage of new invention, Colonel Sanders produced a winning formula that became the key to growing his business.
Peter, Paul and the other apostles were willing to preach to the Gentiles even though it was a completely new concept.
They learned to obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit even though they had to do what they had never done before.
The Church will be trying out some very new approaches to evangelism and ministries. There will be critiques sitting at the wings, ready to mock when we fail. However, we must never allow the fear of failure or embarrassment to prevent us from using new methods to achieve God's objectives.
Colonel Sanders would not be defeated
When the highway destroyed his business, the Colonel went on fighting.
That's the kind of fighting spirit we must have. When one door is closed, let's trust that the Lord is opening another door. When the restaurant business closed, Colonel Sanders came out with the chicken franchising scheme.
Even when he was on the road, the Colonel proved to be a tenacious fellow. He did not give in to difficulties at all.
After being rejected 1009 times, he went to sell a franchise to the 1010th prospect.
Could you imagine what would happen to KFC if Colonel Sanders had given up after being rejected by prospect no. 1009?
The second temple took the Israelites twenty years to complete. They could have finished building in a few short years but there were much objections and resistance from the enemies. However, the Israelites under the leadership of earnest dedicated men like ‘Zerubbabel, Joshua, Haggai and Zechariah, refused to be defeated.
Their tenacity paid off and the second temple was ready for consecration in the spring of B.C. 516, twenty years after their return from captivity.
Tenacity when applied positively will get us over the "River Jordan."
We do not pretend that growing will be easy. If it were that easy then we would have done it years ago. The journey will be tough!
There will be criticisms, objections, and even rejections.
Whatever the cost, as long as we are patient and willing to pay the price, we will make it.
We have to continue to invite our friends and loved ones to church and cell meetings.
Many of them will turn us down. Do we give up?
No!
We just need to work wiser and harder.
We will not use anything as an excuse to fail because we know that, by the grace of God, we cannot be defeated!
We may face hardship but our church leadership is resolved to lead us to overcome every mountain and obstacle. God is giving us the "Promised Land" and we will be facing "giants".
The going will be tough but we must never, never, never give up!
FAQs
What is the real story behind KFC? ›
Colonel Sanders officially started KFC when he turned 40, back in 1930. He bought a roadside motel in Corbin, Kentucky, and started serving his southern style chicken. But Colonel Sanders didn't perfect his unique blend of 11 herbs and spices that are still used today, and still top secret, until 1939.
How did Colonel Sanders come up with the idea for KFC? ›He began selling fried chicken from his roadside restaurant in North Corbin, Kentucky, during the Great Depression. During that time, Sanders developed his "secret recipe" and his patented method of cooking chicken in a pressure fryer.
What did Colonel Sanders say about KFC? ›At some point, KFC changed the “secret recipe” for their chicken and gravy, leading an angry Sanders, who already gained a reputation for outbursts, to refer to the food as “the worst fried chicken I've ever seen.” He even went as far as referring to the potatoes and gravy as “sludge” and “wallpaper paste.”
Does the Sanders family still own KFC? ›KFC expanded internationally and he sold the company for two million dollars ($15.3 million today). Even today, Sanders remains central in KFC's branding and his face still appears in their logo.
What is the secret ingredient in a KFC? ›KFC confirmed on its website that it uses MSG. “Some of our food does contain MSG but rest assured, it's only present at levels that are safe for the general population,” the fast food giant states on its website.
Why does KFC use red in their logo? ›KFC started to grow and develop changing with the times and the demands of the costumers making them well known for their logo and delicious food. The Bright red color used in the logos brings a sense of warmth to the Colonels face which is inviting to consumers.
How much is Kentucky Fried Chicken worth? ›...
Brand value of Kentucky Fried Chicken worldwide from 2010 to 2021 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Before it became the world's second-largest fast-food chain, Kentucky Fried Chicken was the brainchild of a man named Harland Sanders, who cooked up simple country dishes at a roadside gas station. Even after his death in 1980, Sanders is still the instantly recognizable face of the company.
Who owns Kentucky Fried Chicken? ›Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky, and its subsidiaries franchise or operate a system of over 53,000 restaurants in 155 countries and territories under the company's concepts – KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and The Habit Burger Grill.
What is a famous quote from Colonel Sanders? ›“I've only had two rules. Do all you can and do it the best you can.” The Colonel was undeniably a real-life example of how passion, hard work, and a commitment to quality can lead to success.
Why did KFC run out of chicken? ›
What caused the chicken shortage? Ongoing “operational issues” with the company's new distribution system is causing the shortage, KFC has said. The fast food giant recently swapped its delivery partner, and due to “a couple teething problems” chicken has not been shipped to most of its stores.
Is KFC getting rid of the Colonel? ›KFC has announced the retirement of its Colonel Sanders brand mascot. The Colonel was a likeness of the restaurant's founder, Harland Sanders, and is just the latest fast food icon to be faded out to make way for new brand appeals.
How rich is KFC owner? ›...
Colonel Sanders Net Worth.
Net Worth: | $10 Million |
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Date of Birth | Sep 9, 1890 - Dec 16, 1980 (90 years old) |
Place of Birth | Henryville |
Gender | Male |
Profession | Entrepreneur |
Yum Brands has sold its KFC restaurants in Russia to local franchisee Smart Service Ltd., which is responsible for rebranding the approximately 1,000 KFC restaurants into non-Yum entities.
What is KFC chicken injected with? ›According to a Reuters exposé, Koch Foods, reported to be a KFC supplier, used medically important antibiotics, including virginiamycin, in the production of its chicken. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and World Health Organization consider virginiamycin “highly important” to human medicine.
What makes KFC so crispy? ›All about the fryer
KFC swears by high-temperature, industrial-strength pressure fryers for their extra-crispy skin. While you won't be able to deep fry with your at-home pressure cooker, you can still recreate the KFC crunch with a deep fryer, a Dutch oven, or a heavy-bottomed pot.
Like most restaurants, we prepare and serve products that may contain egg, milk, soy, wheat or other allergens.
Why did KFC change to cabbage? ›Fast food giant KFC has been forced to put cabbage in its burgers and wraps in Australia as the country is struggling with a shortage of lettuce. The firm told customers it is using a mixture of lettuce and cabbage after floods destroyed lettuce crops.
Why did KFC change their Colour to green? ›A KFC store in Atlanta has turned green as the chain begins trialing its plant-based chicken from Beyond Meat.
Why is KFC using cabbage? ›A Zinger just isn't a zinger without the mother-of-all-lettuces. “We're currently experiencing a lettuce shortage. So, we're using a lettuce and cabbage blend on all products containing lettuce until further notice,” KFC said in a statement.
Is owning a KFC profitable? ›
Yes, the KFC franchise business is one of the undoubtedly profitable and rewarding options for people who are planning to start a retail-based food service franchise opportunity in India.
How much does 1 KFC make a year? ›How Much Profit Does the KFC Franchise Make Per Year? As an individual unit, KFC makes about $942,000 – $1,000,000 per year. Although Yum! Brands keeps their franchise owner's salaries private, it can be estimated that owners take home roughly $120,000 a year, based on average food franchise owner salaries.
How many pieces of chicken is in a $20 fill up at Kentucky fried? ›So if you like food, my Family Fill Up happens to be a great way to feed 4 people with 8 pieces of Original Recipe chicken, 2 large mashed potatoes, 1 large gravy, 1 cole slaw and 4 biscuits for only $20. Schenck DaPappy and 44,980 others like this. If you get 2 mashed potatoes why not 2 gravy.
Who invented KFC gravy? ›Kay Kerr and her late husband Jack owned four Kentucky Fried Chicken locations, and she personally developed the gravy recipe still used by KFC, while staying in the home of Colonel Sanders himself.
Is KFC original chicken fried or baked? ›The KFC Original Recipe is a secret mix of ingredients that fast food restaurant chain KFC uses to produce fried chicken.
Where is the most profitable KFC in the world? ›KFC is best known for serving fried chicken to Americans by the bucketful, but it actually makes most of its money in China. And China is the most profitable market of KFC's parent company Yum Brands, which also includes Pizza Hut and Taco Bell.
Why is KFC so popular in China? ›Key to KFC's success in the country has been its aggressive catering to Chinese tastes, with menu items that will never make their way to US restaurants. While KFCs in China serve fried chicken, they also serve a variety of local dishes like egg tarts, congee (rice porridge), and the "Dragon Twister."
Is Chicken Guy owned by Guy Fieri? ›Meet The Chicken Guy!
Hatched from the minds of chef Guy Fieri and renowned restaurateur, Robert Earl, Chicken Guy!
“Never Give In” “This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”
What was Abraham Lincoln's favorite saying? ›Collection of Abraham Lincoln's Quotes on Success
“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have.”
What was Colonel Sanders favorite food? ›
And every Sunday night, Sanders would cook his family a delicious meal - country ham, steak and fried chicken.
Why did they change KFC fries? ›KFC changed the recipe after admitting its old recipe wasn't good enough. It said it had been inspired by a diner called Charlie Burness, who went to KFC for her mother's birthday four years ago but afterwards the family agreed the restaurant's chips had let them down.
Do KFC still use lettuce? ›KFC outlets, excluding those in the Northern Territory and South Australia, currently uses a 60/40 blend of lettuce and cabbage – but this will soon no longer be necessary, O'Malley said. “The crop got decimated. We do think it's short term in nature,” he told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
Did KFC run out of potatoes? ›Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), an American fast-food restaurant chain, announced that it had run out of potato fries even as local farmers struggled with an oversupply of the produce.
Who is the new face on Kentucky Fried Chicken? ›I've begun traveling the world and no matter how far I go, KFC is one of the first things people want to bring up when they find out where I'm from," says GRAMMY -nominated recording artist, Jack Harlow. "I'm excited to align myself with something that started in Kentucky, but resonates all over the globe.
Why did Colonel sell KFC? ›Branding himself "Colonel Sanders", the founder became a prominent figure of American cultural history, and his image remains widely used in KFC advertising. The company's rapid expansion made it too large for Sanders to manage, so in 1964 he sold the company to a group of investors led by John Y. Brown, Jr.
What did original KFC taste like? ›It did not taste the same. Harland Sanders, the founder of KFC, at some point after he sold the company, went into a franchise and had some chicken. He described the taste as “greasy cardboard.” The chicken that I tasted was not that bad, but still lacked flavor.
Is KFC worth more than Mcdonalds? ›...
KFC vs McDonald's.
52% | Promoters |
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23% | Detractors |
The franchise fee to become a KFC franchise owner is $45,000, with an estimated startup costs totals ranging between $1.2 million and $2.5 million.
Which billionaire did KFC reject? ›“I went for a job at KFC; they said I was no good” In 1995 a 30-year old ambitious entrepreneur named Jack moved from China to the US, in the hope of creating something big. He was playing around on this new thing called the internet.
Where is the largest Kentucky Fried Chicken in the United States? ›
The Big Chicken is a KFC restaurant in Marietta, Georgia, which features a 56-foot-tall (17 m) steel-sided structure designed in the appearance of a chicken rising up from the top of the building.
What was KFC's original logo? ›The first KFC logo was introduced in 1952 and featured a "Kentucky Fried Chicken" typeface and a logo of the Colonel.
Is KFC chicken made in store? ›If you're curious what the state of the chicken is before it's prepared for cooking, rest assured that the chicken is fresh. With regular deliveries, the branch doesn't use frozen chicken. The thighs, wings, breasts and legs all arrive bagged and ready for preparation.
Why did McDonald's pull out of Russia? ›The humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, and the precipitating unpredictable operating environment, have led McDonald's to conclude that continued ownership of the business in Russia is no longer tenable, nor is it consistent with McDonald's values.
Is Coke sold in Russia? ›Coca-Cola, first available in the Soviet Union in 1979, is already ensnared in fights against grey-market goods, which are unauthorized imports, and Russian knockoffs of its fruit-infused Fanta line, according to court documents and interviews with attorneys involved.
Has Taco Bell pulled out of Russia? ›They were followed by Starbucks, Papa John's, Burger King and Yum Brands, the company that owns KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, in announcing their own decisions to withdraw from the Russian market.