Regional Cuisine Bolsters KFC's Sales in China
Regional menu items — like fish, egg tarts and preserved egg porridge — are making KFC a huge hit in China as executives at the fast-food chicken giant look overseas for better revenues. Sales in China grew 12 percent in this first part of the year, compared with 3 percent in the U.S.
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STEVE INSKEEP, host:
Executives at the fast-food chicken giant KFC have expectations of a slower economy in the U.S., so they're looking overseas. And our last word in business today is preserved egg porridge, which is a dish that's apparently making KFC money. That's one of the menu items making KFC a huge hit in China. Sales there grew 12 percent in the first part of this year compared to only 3 percent in the United States.
KFC's owner Yum Brands also owns Pizza Hut. It's the largest restaurant chain in China. And China's own soul food favorites on the menu seems to be the key to the company's success - fish, egg tarts, preserved egg porridge. One KFC customer says she doesn't even eat fried chicken. Kentucky Fried China.
And that's the business news on MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.
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