KFC, the renowned fried chicken food chain, has faced closures of its outlets in Malaysia, citing challenging economic conditions as the primary reason.
However, local media reports suggest that a boycott by consumers protesting the company’s ties to Israel may have played a significant role in the decision.
The closure of KFC outlets in Malaysia is purportedly linked to a boycott initiated by some consumers due to the brand’s alleged ties to Israel, amid the ongoing Gaza conflict.
The shutdown comes at a time when many Muslims in the region are actively boycotting Western brands with links to Israel, in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
While QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd, the company operating KFC and Pizza Hut franchises in Malaysia, has not confirmed the exact number of affected outlets, employees have been offered transfers to busier locations.
The temporary closure of KFC outlets in Malaysia highlights the complex interplay between global politics, economics, and consumer choice.
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As consumers increasingly use their purchasing power to make a statement, companies are being forced to re-examine their relationships and values.
KFC Corporation doing business as KFC (also commonly referred to by its historical name Kentucky Fried Chicken), is an American fast food restaurant chain that specializes in fried chicken. Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, it is the world’s second-largest restaurant chain (as measured by sales) after McDonald’s, with over 30,000 locations globally in 150 countries as of April 2024. The chain is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, a restaurant company that also owns the Pizza Hut and Taco Bell chains.
KFC was founded by Colonel Harland Sanders (1890–1980), an entrepreneur who began selling fried chicken from his roadside restaurant in Corbin, Kentucky, during the Great Depression. Sanders identified the potential of the restaurant franchising concept and the first “Kentucky Fried Chicken” franchise opened in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1952. KFC popularized chicken in the fast-food industry, diversifying the market by challenging the established dominance of the hamburger. By branding himself as “Colonel Sanders”, Harland became a prominent figure of American cultural history and his image remains widely used in KFC advertising to this day. However, the company’s rapid expansion overwhelmed the aging Sanders and he sold it to a group of investors led by John Y. Brown Jr. and Jack C. Massey in 1964.
