KFC to create 7,000 jobs in Ireland and UK with new outlets opening

Company plans to invest €1.76bn in UK and Ireland 

Fast food giant KFC plans to invest €1.76bn in Britain and Ireland over the next five years, creating over 7,000 jobs, it said on Tuesday.

Fast food giant KFC plans to invest €1.76bn in Britain and Ireland over the next five years, creating over 7,000 jobs, it said on Tuesday.

The fried chicken fast food chain currently operates over 1,000 outlets across the UK and Ireland, employing 30,000, and said it planned to open a further 500 outlets over the next decade. KFC currently has 35 outlets across the Republic of Ireland and 31 in Northern Ireland.

Of the £1.49bn (€1.76bn) investment, €555m will go towards opening the new outlets and upgrading 200 existing sites, while €695m will be invested in new jobs, the company said.

KFC said the appetite for fried chicken was growing and "is only expected to grow further, with consumer demand for fried chicken outstripping other quick service restaurant categories".

Last week, KFC's parent group Yum Brands beat estimates for first-quarter comparable sales, driven by strong performance at its Taco Bell stores in the US and KFC outlets internationally. Yum Brands' worldwide comparable sales in the first quarter ended March 31 increased 3%, beating estimates of a 2.76% rise, according to data compiled by LSEG.

Yum Brands' other fast food chains include Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. Earlier this month, Applegreen announced that Taco Bell would be opening its first outlet in Ireland following a new partnership agreement with the US-based company. The company said the first Taco Bell will open this summer but the exact location has yet to be announced. It plans to open a number of other outlets over the next five years.

Reuters