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- KFC has launched a new concept store in Braamfontein that showcases the latest meal offerings, as well as some fashion, gaming and music.
- The company plans to roll out more of these concept stores as it looks to increasingly connect with the youth market.
- The new store is also cashless and will be used as a test kitchen for new product offerings.
- For more financial news, go to the News24 Business front page.
KFC has opened a new concept store where customers can sample the fast-food giant's latest meal offerings, buy a trendy outfit or kick back with friends to enjoy some virtual reality (VR) gaming and the latest music beats.
The new concept store, which opened its doors on Tuesday and is called KFC Play Braam, is aimed at "connecting" the KFC brand with SA's youth as it celebrates its 53rd anniversary in SA, says KFC Africa general manager Akhona Qengqe.
Situated in Juta Street in what is called the Play Braamfontein precinct, the cashless store is the first of its kind for the company as it looks to "modernise" its brand to appeal more to the youth.
The average age of the 25 staff who work in shifts at the concept store is also 23, as the group looks to build a bigger connection with SA's youth.
As Qengqe puts it, the youth represent the majority of consumers in Africa, considered the youngest continent in the world.
"If you think of our brand, we've been in SA for 53 years, so we are quite a heritage brand. Many people who remember KFC remember it as 'Kentucky'. Maybe when they were growing up, their mom used to buy Kentucky for them.
"And so the gap we saw is [that] we want to resonate with the youth, and this is a big opportunity."
She said the plan is to roll out other concept stores like the one in Braamfontein to other major metropolitan centres, including Cape Town and Durban.
But Qengqe says the concept is not aimed at replacing the existing format of KFC stores. It's more about encouraging innovation by acting as a test kitchen for new meals, which can then be expanded into the KFC network if they are a hit with customers.
Qengqe added:
Some of the new dishes on offer in Braamfontein include "cola dunked wings", a "chilli lime burger" and "hot and spicy chachos." The latter is similar to the famous nachos.
Qengqe says the concept allows KFC to get "real-time feedback" from customers about what dishes work and which don't, which in turn enables the group to constantly innovate and elevate dining experiences.
And if an item is not proving popular in the concept store, it is pulled from the menu, offering KFC agility in terms of decision-making.
While food is central to the new concept store, KFC also wanted to associate the brand with an "experience," she said, adding:
To this end, the group has established a Spotify screen interface in the store, where customers can pick their own playlists. At the same time, there are VR consoles and game offerings, where customers can compete against each other for points, which ultimately translate into vouchers that can be used in store.
And consumers will also have the option of buying the latest stylish outfit, with KFC collaborating with fashion designers such as Mzukisi Mbane, of Imprint ZA, to retail their latest fashions in the concept store.
Furthermore, this emphasis on youth and a hangout space has also extended to the store's décor, with Qengqe saying that while the company wanted to the store to "feel like a KFC", it also had to be different enough to give customers a totally new experience.
"We created lots of opportunities for people to engage with pods, as well as the use of colour to create an elevated version of KFC."
Qengqe said the company had also brought elements of sustainability into the design of the store, including introducing a lot of greenery in the form of real plants.
