KFC drops pledge to stop using ‘Frankenchickens’ in the UK
KFC drops pledge to stop using ‘Frankenchickens’ in the UK
Chain says it won’t be able to stop buying fast-growing breeds by 2026 because poultry industry cannot supply enough higher-welfare animals
KFC holds the distinction of being the only place that has ever sold me chips (fries) while I was coming home from a night out that were so disappointing that I threw them in the bin
Their chicken generally isn't that great either.
I remember this being announced to a big fan fare... And now it's being quietly dropped. Shame on them. 1%? They didn't even try.
KFC's reasoning is that the chicken supply industry hasn't transitioned to more humanitarian chickens yet, but frustratingly the article doesn't validate this claim.
It KFC is correct and they're reliant on an industry that hasn't got the supply it needs, then it's impossible for them to meet the targets they set and it makes sense they would have to walk back the pledge.
However if the industry does have that supply, then KFC is full of shit.
So which is it?
I would lean towards there being chickens available, but KFC doesn't want to pay for them. They want one supplier to provide all of it, rather than a bunch of smaller suppliers.
But you're absolutely right, this is the kind of question the author of this article should have asked.
There's this:
Connor Jackson, co-founder of the charity Open Cages, said: “We are in touch with companies that can supply KFC with the slower-growing chickens it needs to fulfil its commitment. The fact that KFC has made less than 1% progress on removing Frankenchickens from its supply chain is very concerning.”
The current chicken quality at KFC is shit. It's often very stringy.
I could be wrong, but I asked my chef friend why chicken would be stringy after I got a Chinese meal where it was like it, he suggested that it's overcooking them that can cause it.
With KFC I could fully believe that you've been being served chicken that was cooked that morning and had been left under the heat lamps for hours.
Was your Chinese meal succulent?
KFC quality is highly localised because of all the franchises running it. No idea why it always has to be so crap in London though.
I used to work at KFC and it was someone's job every day to sort through the 'on the bone' chicken (stuff you get in buckets) to throw out broken bones, giblets, feathers etc.
Firstly, only this kind of chicken came from the UK. The rest is from mainland Europe before being marinated and shipped, which seemed unnecessarily inefficient.
Secondly, good god is the state of the chicken you get horrifying. I kid you not it set me towards becoming vegan. But compared to the chicken you get in a supermarket (say, an Asdas roast chicken) it is scrawny, frail, and so easily broken and poorly cleaned. The breading and frying process makes it look way more "full".
Between farmers and businesses these birds are a source of untold horror AND a vector of our next potential pandemic, whether it be H5N1 or something else. Not even before we consider the totally unsustainable nature of farming poultry both ecologically and economically.
Yep. If your chicken ever looks bruised that's actually a chemical burn from poopie
Chain says it won’t be able to stop buying fast-growing breeds by 2026 because poultry industry cannot supply enough higher-welfare animals
What kind of evil capitalist excuse is this?
”Plantation owners say they won't be able to phase out slavery because of insufficient supply of people who work for free without being chained and whipped"
You joke, but this was legitimate concerns raised in many places, when slavery was abolished. It was often phased out slowly to allow businesses to adapt.
It's at least better than nothing, but far from perfect.
Fast food sucks. News at 11.
It didn’t always. It’s sad what it has become. There’s a reason “fast casual” chains are doing better than fast food.
Nah it’s always been bad. The only thing that has changed is your taste buds.
Frankenchickens? Frank chickens?
Chickens from France?
Sounds like some poultry prejudice in place!
I haven't had any kfc recently, because the last time I did it just sat in my stomach so terribly. I remember it being okay in the 00s, so I was surprised it felt so bad. Other chicken places didn't do this so eurgh.
Maybe look into setting up your own supply chain or paying the businesses you rely on enough money to fix their supply?
If fairphone can set up a whole new phone manufacturering supply chain to make sure they don't have any child slaves, I'm sure this isn't so difficult, it's many more suppliers, but many less steps.
Alternatively, go vegan and stop contributing to this barbaric industry.