KFC, a fast food restaurant chain formerly known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, has moved its US headquarters from Kentucky to Texas.
Yum Brands said KFC will maintain several operations in Kentucky, including the KFC Foundation, but will move its offices from Louisville to Plano.
But Kentucky Gov. Andy Besher said: “I am disappointed with this decision and I believe that the company founders will also be.
In recent years, many businesses have moved to Texas, attracted by the state’s low taxes and business-friendly policies.
The Yum Brands decision is part of a plan that has two headquarters for the main brand. KFC and Pizza Hut are located in Plano, while Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill remain in Irvine, California.
“We’re looking forward to seeing you in the future,” said David Gibbs, CEO of Yum Brands.
However, Beshear said: “The company’s name starts in Kentucky and sells the state’s heritage and culture in the sale of its products.”
The state’s KFC history dates back to the 1930s when founder Colonel Haaland Sanders began selling fried chicken at Corbyn’s service station.
Today, Sanders’ faces are displayed in the front of more than 24,000 KFC restaurants in more than 145 countries and regions around the world.
Since the pandemic, many US companies have moved their headquarters.
Austin and other Texas cities have been particularly successful because of the state’s business-friendly environment, according to a report from real estate services company CBRE.
