KFC Opens Its Menu and Reveals What’s Really Being Served Across South Africa

• KFC Africa has launched its inaugural Impact Report, “Impact, Served Daily”, showcasing the social and economic impact created in 2025 across 1,573 restaurants in 22 sub-Saharan countries.
• In 2025, KFC Africa supported 40,000-plus employees, served 35.5 million meals through Add Hope, and gave 119,926 children the opportunity to play through KFC Mini-Cricket.
• The Streetwise Academy has graduated 202 employees with accredited NQF qualifications at zero tuition cost to employees, creating structured pathways from entry-level roles to leadership.
• KFC Africa achieved Top Employer certification, recognising excellence across people practices and employee development.

KFC Africa today launches its inaugural Impact Report 2025, revealing the scale and depth of social and economic impact created by 1,573 restaurants in 22 sub-Saharan countries.

Titled “Impact, Served Daily”, the report shows how KFC’s purpose-driven business model creates systemic impact far beyond the restaurant counter.

You know what we sell. Now see what we serve

“KFC didn’t just publish an impact report, it ‘served’ it,” says Akhona Qengqe, General Manager for KFC Africa. “Chicken is what we sell, but what we serve goes far beyond that.

“Every day at KFC, millions of meals are served. But we measure our real impact in the change those meals create: when someone orders a meal at KFC, they feed children’s potential, provide jobs throughout the economy, boost careers, grow leaders and strengthen communities.”

The report reveals the interconnected nature of KFC’s impact model, which begins with a simple restaurant opening but extends across the entire value chain, from farms and suppliers to communities and schools.

How does KFC’s growth create opportunity?

KFC’s expansion trajectory demonstrates this direct connection between business growth and social impact.

Now targeting 3,000 restaurants by 2035, each new location creates a measurable impact. Every new KFC restaurant:

• Creates 35 direct jobs.
• Supports approximately 100 additional jobs through suppliers, logistics and local service providers.
• Invests capital in local infrastructure.
• Activates economic activity in surrounding communities.

“Growth matters because it serves impact,” says Qengqe. “This isn’t a corporate social responsibility initiative bolted onto the side of business. This is how we do business. When the business grows, people and communities grow with it.”

How does KFC build its people?

Central to this impact is KFC Africa’s commitment to people development. In 2025, the organisation:

• Inducted and trained 9,508 staff members.
• Provided management training to 1,847 employees.
• Achieved Top Employer certification, recognising excellence across people practices.
• Found that 93% of staff intend to stay.
• Offered access to zero-cost to employees accredited qualifications through the Streetwise Academy.

“More than anything else, I’m proud of just how much impact and purpose mean to our people,” says Nolo Thobejane, Chief People, Culture & Purpose Officer for KFC Africa.

“Serving people is the core driver of everything we do. When people feel seen, supported and valued, everything changes. Culture isn’t what we say, it’s what people experience every day.”

The report features stories of individuals like Amukelani Khoza, who progressed from restaurant team member to Operations Improvement Coach with a BCom degree in Project Management, and Rina Maravanyika, who advanced from KFC Africa to become Manager, Operational Excellence at KFC Global in Dallas.

How does KFC feed the potential of children?

Add Hope, KFC’s customer-powered nutrition programme, has become South Africa’s most recognised corporate social impact initiative. In 2025:

• 35.5 million meals were served to hungry children.
• 167,560 children were fed.
• 114 partner organisations participated.
• 3,013 feeding centres operated nationwide.

Since 2009, Add Hope has raised R1.27 billion (customer and company contributions combined) and fed more than 1.5 million people.

The Biggest Hunger Hack in 2025 transformed Add Hope’s model into an open-source blueprint, inviting Gen-Z innovators and corporate partners to strengthen the initiative. The winning solution, rescuing surplus produce and redirecting it to families in need, is being implemented with FoodForward SA.

KFC Mini-Cricket, the company’s flagship youth development programme, has introduced more than 2.5 million children to cricket since 2009. In 2025, the programme reached 119,926 players across 4,652 schools. Remarkably, 75% of the current Proteas Women cricket squad started in KFC Mini-Cricket.

“This is where potential is sparked,” says Qengqe. “We invest in young people early, so they can see what’s possible.”

What is the KFC Impact Report’s key message?

Qengqe says “Impact, Served Daily” is a long-term commitment. “The more we grow, the more we serve,” she says. “Growth is the strategy. Impact is the reason. As we expand across Africa, we’re creating more opportunity, more access and more possibility.”

The KFC Africa Impact Report 2025 is available at https://purpose.kfc.co.za.

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Hana Gebresilassie: Hana Gebresilassie is an Eritrean journalist who has worked for the BBC World Service and the Voice of
America. She is known for her reporting on the African continent.