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From June 5438 to 10, 2004, the1000th chain store of KFC China Limited (hereinafter referred to as KFC) opened in Sakura Garden East Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing.

Nothing is more boring than opening a new chain store. KFC has a growing history of more than 60 years, and chain restaurants are spread all over the world. Except for the 1 1 magical ingredients used by Colonel Sanders to fry chicken legs, there are no secrets and novelties, whether it brings "spillover benefits" to the local economy, "catfish effect" in the industry or "cultural aggression" to the local lifestyle.

However, Mr. Su, President of Yum! Brands. China Catering Group (hereinafter referred to as Yum! ) In Greater China, which owns well-known brands such as KFC and Pizza Hut, it is insisted that the opening of the1000th store "is a new starting point for KFC in China".

But this new starting point is not the starting point of "starting from scratch". In China, KFC has always insisted on "not starting from scratch". This embarrassing statement is not only a unique principle and way for KFC to set up franchise chain stores in China, but also a source of optimism for KFC in China market.

"Not from scratch"

"The way KFC opens a franchise chain in China is to join from scratch." Every time Su talks about this franchise mode of KFC, she will speak slowly, clearly and in detail, because people who hear it for the first time always feel dizzy: what do you mean "not starting from scratch"?

Yum's so-called "not starting from scratch" means that KFC will hand over a mature and profitable restaurant to franchisees. Franchisees don't need to do a lot of heavy preparations, such as site selection, opening stores, recruiting and training employees, etc. These are ready-made. "Among them, site selection is often the key to success, and KFC has helped you do it."

"This is the best way for KFC to franchise in China market at this stage," Su said. "If the profitable KFC restaurant is handed over to the franchisee, the business risk of the franchisee will be greatly reduced, and only by maintaining it can it succeed."

Since the handover of the first KFC franchise store in China in Liyang, Changzhou in August 2000, 1 1 restaurants have been authorized to join. At present, among the 0/000 KFC stores in China/KLOC-0, 95% of the restaurants are direct stores and 5% are franchisees.

"Don't start from scratch" means that you won't be allowed to start at will on a blank sheet of paper. Have a solid foundation, standardized procedures and strict standards, and start a business here. Cheryl Bachelder, CEO of KFC USA, said at the 50th anniversary ceremony of KFC: "Fifty years later, we still provide delicious hot fresh fried chicken for thousands of customers with the mysterious formula 1 1 developed by Colonel Sanders."

"No matter when and where, the world is the same standard." The management of KFC (China) also said so.

"Very demanding requirements at every link," said Chen Yuanfeng, director of marketing planning of Beijing Huadu Broiler Company, which is one of KFC's chicken suppliers. "For example, in terms of chicken raw materials, KFC requires the same weight, size and appearance. The wing roots and wings must be trimmed clean, without yellow skin and fluff, and the weight is between 28 and 42 grams, and the difference between the left and right can not even exceed 2 grams. In terms of transportation and warehousing, manufacturers are required to equip KFC with special vehicles to achieve cold chain transportation between MINUS 2 degrees Celsius and 2 degrees Celsius, and each store has specified accurate delivery time. "

Fried chicken, French fries, hamburgers, coke; Bright, clean and globally unified restaurant environment; Self-help, fast food, KFC's insistence on industrialization and standardization are the essential characteristics of fast food industry. It is this essential feature that leads to the insurmountable limitations and defects faced by the fast food industry at present, that is, the health problems of its food.

Standardization and localization

When western society blames the increasingly serious obesity problem on fast food with high calorie and few varieties, super fast food brands such as McDonald's and Big Mac are also accused of being the chief culprit of obesity. While McDonald's and KFC have become synonymous with foreign fast food in China, unhealthy and unreasonable food has also become a lingering impression of foreign fast food in the hearts of Chinese people. And this impression is getting deeper and deeper all over the world. The most extreme statement is that foreign fast food is "junk food".

Frying, potatoes, bread, cola, products provided by McDonald's and KFC are actually the basic contents of western fast food. When these products are considered as "the culprit of obesity" and "garbage", what is the significance of industrialization standards?

Sue was incoherent for a few minutes at the beginning of the reporter's question. "Well, I should say, ... what should I say? I mean ... "I couldn't find the right words at the moment, but he was silent for a while before speaking.

On June 6th, 65438+ 10/kloc-0, KFC released the "China KFC Healthy Food Policy White Paper" on the occasion of the opening of 1000 stores, and made a set of plans in three years, with a view to gradually eliminating people's bad impression.

KFC tries to convince the people of China that we are very concerned about your health. Yes, obesity is a very real and bad problem, and we should all avoid obesity. However, KFC also stressed that there are many factors that lead to obesity, not all of which are the fault of fried chicken and French fries; Fast food can also be healthier and more nutritious; We constantly introduce new products full of China characteristics, such as rice, soup, porridge, old Beijing chicken rolls, spicy chicken skewers, goo old chicken rolls and so on.

"I really tried my best to be localized!" Some critics think so. "McDonald's losing to KFC in China market means losing to KFC's franchise policy and localization." Su said, "China people prefer chicken to beef. We cook chicken."

Neighbors of China people

"We hope that KFC will become a neighbor of China people, and we can see it when we go out every day." Wang Qun said.

Su's slogan of calling KFC (China) a new starting point this time is: based on China, integrate into life. He introduced KFC's donation to Project Hope and the special fund they invested 38 million yuan to help poor college students in China for a long time.

In the selection of the world's most valuable brands in 2003, Businessweek said: "Another point that American brand owners are more concerned about now is that they need to be regarded as responsible' world citizens'. Its significance is all-encompassing, such as providing funds for local rural primary schools or using resources to solve environmental problems ... Practice has proved that these emotional investments play a particularly powerful role in Western Europe and Asia. "

"How can people who really love catering not pay attention to China?" Su admitted that KFC's success in China largely depends on the rich value of the China market itself.

But while gaining value from China's economy, KFC must learn to take unimaginable risks, such as SARS and bird flu. "We have been paying close attention to the macroeconomic trends in China. Will the RMB appreciate? " ? Is the economy overheating? Will the price of grain and oil rise next year? So I'm not sure if KFC will raise prices next year. "

The world-famous magazine "Still Business Weekly" commented: "The world today is an unpredictable world, and a big brand is likely to fall out of favor soon, sometimes even powerless." KFC's persistence and catering to standardization and localization is precisely the difficult problem that all companies in this era are facing in globalization and localization. You can refuse KFC or foreign fast food, but you can't refuse this increasingly hurried consumption era.