Kenyans have taken to social media calling for a boycott of American fast food restaurant chain, KFC, after the restaurant said it had run out of potatoes and it cannot use local potatoes due to quality assurance standards.
On Monday, KFC Kenya posted that it was facing a shortage of potatoes due to the high consumption during the festive season.
KFC went ahead to list alternatives such as Ugali, Coca Cola, buns, chicken and coleslaw as replacement.
“Fam it was truly a Furaha December. Mlikula sherehe with your KFC faves. Ya’ll loved our chips a little too much, and we’ve run out,” KFC wrote in a post.
“Sorry! Our team is working hard to resolve the issue. In the meantime, here are some SWAP options for combo meals if you are craving our Kuku.”
The post by KFC Kenya prompted backlash and queries on KFC’s supply chain model and why the business relies on imported potatoes when it could source them from local farmers. Kenyans have been using the hashtags #BoycottKFC and #BoycottKFCproducts to express their anger.
It takes audacity to complain about not having enough potatoes in a country whose potatoes you won't buy and whose economy you won't support.
— MaggieTheTherapist (@MaggietheMezzo) January 3, 2022
So we should support KFC while KFC won't support our farmers? Why? https://t.co/fcSqYcBrwa
KFC’s Chief Executive for East Africa, Jacques Theunissen, attributed the shortage to a hitch in global supply of potatoes.
“It has to do with delays in shipping lines due to the Covid situation. Ships have been delayed for more than a month now, but we are working hard to restore as the first containers are arriving in the port tomorrow (today),” said Theunissen.
Globally, Yum! Brands Inc., which operates the brand KFC among other subsidiaries like Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and WingStreet worldwide, relies on third party logistics providers to deliver supplies to their outlets in over 130 countries across the world.
This has not been without challenges. For example, in February 2018, KFC closed about half of its 900 stores in the UK after running out of chicken. The disruption came after KFC changed its logistics provider from Bidvest Logistics to DHL. The disruption was later attributed to the fact that DHL had only one distribution centre location serving the entire country compared to Bidvest which had six centres.
In response, KFC commented at the time; “We won’t compromise on quality, so no deliveries has meant some of our restaurants are closed, and others are operating a limited menu or shortened hours.”
A similar argument – on quality – was made in the wake of the latest KFC potato crisis in Kenya.
“The reason we cannot buy local at the moment is all suppliers need to go through the global QA approval process and we cannot bypass that even if we run out to ensure that our food is safe for consumption by our customers,” Theunissen commented on Tuesday.
In East Africa, Kuku Foods East Africa Holdings is the franchisee of KFC outlets. In compliance with Yum Brand’s audit procedures, Kuku Foods East Africa Holdings manages the complete process from ordering the products worldwide, clearing, warehousing and distribution to each restaurant’s front door.”
Potatoes in Nyandarua 👇 =price of a plate of chips in KFC.
— Jame (@Cjamehk) January 4, 2022
But KFC prefers importing potatoes rather than buying local ones(even now that they are out of stock they cannot buy local potatoes – – they prefer oferring customers Ugali instead 🙄) …Can't they import customers too? pic.twitter.com/1cDW440Bhl
KFC stands for Kentucky Fried Chicken, that's a state in US. Buy KENYA build KENYA . Nothing beats Kwambox chips mwitu #BoycottKFC pic.twitter.com/2FO8eu1oGk
— Amerix (@Amerix047) January 4, 2022
I find it hard to believe that KFC imports potatoes to make chips when in places like Nyeri each meal, except tea itself, has to have potatoes because they have no one to sell to.
— OK Mwania (@ok_mwania) January 4, 2022
Chicken Inn Musalia M-PESA Toyota Equity Wheelbarrow #BoycottKFC pic.twitter.com/lbiDGhgH8W
If you are a true Kenyan, you should not eat chips prepared by KFC! Eat chips elsewhere. Go get fat elsewhere. They can't buy our local potatoes, they MUST import their potatoes, but still want you to eat their chips! Yaani what kind of life do we want in 2022? #BoycottKFC!
— Ustad, Sheikh Lord Abraham Mutai (@ItsMutai) January 4, 2022
The way KFC is expanding in Kenya means the profits are good. Their decision to import potatoes and chicken while we have a surplus of both in Kenya means they do not want to support Kenyan agriculture, only exploit Kenyan consumers while leaving them unhealthy.
— Mr. Sinsemilla (@am_raini) January 4, 2022
#BoycottKFC
