AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

QUARTERLY

Association of Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchisees, Inc.

Summer 2021

Celebrate This Year’s REACH Grant Winners!

PLUS: Power of the People | Jim Sullivan | GAC Report

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CONTENTS

AKFCF QUARTERLY SUMMER 2021

24 34 FEATURES GAC Report: What’s Next For Taxes & Infrastructure?

20

By Porter Byers Republicans are beginning their all-out opposition to the $2.3-trillion infrastructure plan by tying the current inflation to the White House-backed American Rescue Plan, which just provided $2 trillion in stimulus throughout the country.

Ways The Pandemic Changed QSR Leadership 24 Three

By Jim Sullivan Here are three, key leadership attributes to integrate into your unit manager and above-store leader training and development.

of the People 28 Power

By Kelly Rodenberg Please meet three more talented people who contribute their time and efforts to making KFC a better brand.

This Year’s 583 REACH Grant Winners!

34 Celebrating

By Elizabeth Edrington In April, the KFC Foundation announced its 2021 REACH Grant winners to the system. As usual, it then tossed the onus over to franchisees and ARLs to celebrate their winners — and you delivered!

28 DEPARTMENTS 4 From the Editor 6 President’s Report 10 NCAC Report 12 In the News 46 RSCS Member Programs 48 KFC Foundation 50 Leadership Development Committee Report 51 Partnership Committee Report 52 Regional Shorts 53 Executive Director Update 54 Legal Update By Ron Gardner 56 Looking Back

On the Cover: The KFC Foundation saw a record number of giant REACH checks claimed, and it was impossible to miss the influx of REACH celebration photos coming through on KFC Strong with comments upon comments of congratulations and encouragement. Read about the grant winners on page 34.

2 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

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FROM THE EDITOR

QUARTERLY Official Publication of the Association of Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchisees AKFCF QUARTERLY MISSION STATEMENT

LOOKING FORWARD

By Michelle Hunt

A

s I write this, we are nearing the end of June. Late spring and early summer were full of celebrations and gatherings that couldn’t have happened last year. The AKFCF even had our first in-person meeting since the 2020 Convention in Nashville. My husband and I had a bit of excitement in May with our oldest son proposing to his college sweetheart. They will graduate next May and then be married on June 4. Those two months will be hopping around here, with our youngest graduating from high school as well. We look forward to sharing those special moments with our family and friends.

And before I know it, this summer will be over, the kids will be back in school, and I’ll be headed to the second AKFCF in-person meeting of the year. I can’t deny how great it is seeing people again, but when they ask, how’s it been? I kind of laugh because, for those that haven’t visited where our family lives in Iowa, we live in the middle of nowhere. We have a small office crew, and our restaurants were open. I’m so grateful it wasn’t nearly as difficult for us as it was for so many in other states. I went to work every day, I was already ordering almost everything online or through online pick-up, and our schools were in session and in-person. So, this summer, I’m looking forward to an actual county and state fair (although we did exhibit last year, just without the crowds). If you’ve never been to the Iowa State Fair, I suggest you put it on your bucket list. What are you looking forward to?

In this issue, we congratulate the REACH Grant Scholarship Winners as they look forward to completing college degrees and reaching goals. We had only two in our organization, but they were exceptional scholars. If only we could bottle up their stories and the journey they took to get where they are. Check out the complete list of scholarship winners on page 34. We continue the Power of the People series on page 28 with individuals making a difference in all areas of the KFC system. Our friend Jim Sullivan contributed his welcome insights in “Three Ways The Pandemic Changed QSR Leadership” on page 24. And if you look forward to the government affairs article each issue, you surely won’t be disappointed. It is now more important than ever to support our PAC, and we highlight contributors from each region.

While you peruse our columns and updates from committee chairs, you might notice something different about this summer’s issue. If you need a hint, this would generally be the “changing of the guard,” so to speak, when one AKFCF president ends his term and another begins. However, the board voted to change the term ending date to March 31. Brandon Robertson has graciously agreed to continue his duties through the 2022 AKFCF Convention, and Keith Cole’s term will now begin April 1, 2022. I can’t wait to be back at the Gaylord Palms, enjoying another in-person KFC family reunion. Here’s to having more to look forward to!

Warmest Regards,

4 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

The AKFCF Quarterly is the voice of today’s franchisee family and supports the mission of the Association of Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchisees, Inc.

AKFCF EDITORIAL TEAM

AKFCF President

Editor

Assistant Editor AKFCF Administrative

Manager Communications Chair

Executive Director

Past President

Brandon Robertson Michelle Hunt Julie Mantlo Michelle Hunt Kevin Schlutz Kelly Rodenberg Jim McKenzie

The AKFCF Quarterly (ISSN 1071-9873) is published by the Association of Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchisees for its members and their friends. AKFCF is the independent Association of Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchisees.

FRANCHISEE EDITORS:

Michelle Hunt 14812 N Avenue, Columbus Junction, IA 52738 Phone: (319) 728-3282 Fax: (319) 728-2940 michelle.hunt@akfcf.com Julie Mantlo 855 Lovers Lane, Suite 111, Bowling Green, KY 42103 Phone: (270) 783-8880 julie@rogmancorp.com Zaira Guevara (International Liaison) 7750 NW 46TH Street PTY 1495 Doral, FL 33166 Phone: (305) 384-4242 (U.S.) (011) 506 2208-7828 (Direct) zguevara@caribla.com

Copyright ©2021 AKFCF, Inc. All rights reserved. Articles may be quoted with credit to the source. Information in the AKFCF Quarterly (ISSN 1071-9873) represents the views of the authors and unless noted otherwise does not necessarily reflect the policies or position of AKFCF, Inc. Acceptance of paid advertising does not imply endorsement by the Association, or approval of the advertiser or its product or service by KFC Corporation.

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

THE POWER OF OPPORTUNITY

By Brandon Robertson

W

ell, “normally” I would be writing this article to thank you for allowing me to serve this past year as president, as I pass the torch to our incoming 1st VP, Keith Cole. However, as has been the trend recently, nothing is normal. We just finished our spring board meeting in Orlando, Florida and it was so great to see so many friends and KFC family members in person (versus through a computer screen.) We had a great meeting and discussion about challenges that face us as franchisees today. The board voted to change the term of the AKFCF officers from ending at the end of June to concluding at the end of March. The result of that decision is two-fold.

On the one hand, it will provide for a more seamless transition in leadership immediately following Convention. This gives the incoming president a few extra months to plan his or her year and to begin working on the next year’s Convention. Second, it means you are stuck with me for an extra nine months. I am extremely excited to get to see many of you this fall at the regional meetings and to serve as president at a live Convention in Orlando. I will tell you more about that later.

Serving as president this past year has been interesting to say the least. We have adapted to so many new challenges and circumstances. We went from closing our lobbies for fear of spreading the virus to closing them because we can’t hire enough staff to keep them open, or in some cases even keep the drive-thru open for our normal hours. We went from more supply than we could sell in the early days of the pandemic to not enough supply to sell anything with advertising behind it. And for the first time ever, we had a nationwide effort to sell less instead of more.

I never thought I would see the day we would take down our POP and sell everything at regular price to slow down the business.

It’s easy to blame and complain about the impact government stimulus has had and is continuing to have on this situation, but I would ask you also remember the good that has come from those very same government stimulus efforts. We were able to keep our businesses prosperous during what could have been a disaster for many of us. And, our customers had the ability to continue trading with us and enjoying our great food during

Serving as president this past year has been interesting to say the least. We have adapted to so many new challenges and circumstances. We went from closing our lobbies for fear of spreading the virus to closing them because we can’t hire enough staff to keep them open, or in some cases even keep the drive-thru open for our normal hours.

6 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

a time when they needed a little normal in their lives. Of course, this does not mean we shouldn’t be operating to get the workforce back to “normal,” but sometimes, you must take the good with the bad and make the best of it. If there is one thing I know our KFC family is good at, it is making lemonade out of lemons. I know we will band together and survive these difficult times, just as we have many times before.

There is a new kind of meeting experience being planned right now; it’s called the “RGM Connect.” The AKFCF and KFC have partnered to put on a celebration of our restaurant general managers. I am extremely excited to see the show. Justin Stewart and Monica Rothgery have worked with the teams at AKFCF and the KFCC to put together what I think is an amazing event in a short amount of time. Spring meetings have not happened for two years and Justin was adamant that we have a virtual, nationwide spring RGM celebration. His hard work and determination is paying off. I can’t thank him and Monica enough for being the champions of this and working hard to make it come to life for our general managers.

Believe it or not, we have already had our first Convention planning meeting for 2022. I combined the Convention planning meeting with our spring board meeting in Orlando at the Gaylord Palms Resort. The hotel’s $150-million renovation is almost complete, and we are going to have an amazing Convention in the Sunshine State. There will be a lot more information on the Convention in the next issue, but the theme has been decided: “The Power of Opportunity.” I can’t wait to see you all there, in person! n

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NCAC REPORT

STAYING STRONG IN 2021 AND BEYOND

By Tom Broome, NCAC Vice Chair

I

n my last article, I said that 2021 promises to be interesting, and it has been every bit of that and more. We have seen many change across the country and in our own businesses. If 2020 and the first half of 2021 have taught us anything at all, it is that change is the “new normal.”

Much already has happened this year. We launched our new Chicken Sandwich with tremendous success, thanks to each of you and your teams!

The KFC Marketing and Food Innovation teams did such an incredible job with this delicious sandwich, drawing more customers to our restaurants and increasing trial and frequency. The results were so good that we had to temper our marketing efforts as we faced industry-wide chicken supply challenges. You have done a phenomenal job of keeping up with the fast-paced, supply-related changes to our marketing efforts. Hopefully, we all will see relief on both the chicken and labor fronts as we finish out the summer and the year.

We also have seen a dramatic change in how consumers are engaging with KFC, specifically in

The KFC Marketing and Food Innovation teams did such an incredible job with this delicious sandwich, drawing more customers to our restaurants and increasing trial and frequency.

10 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

the social and digital space. Before this year, I could not really tell you what TikTok was — now I know that it is basically a digital talent show for everyday people. KFC Marketing and our agency partners are working with some big KFC fans. For example, Lili Hayes (known as TikTok’s Grumpy Grandma) repeatedly asks “Do you like chicken” and shows off our sandwiches while dressed as the Colonel. There have been KFC chicken songs, and our Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders rose to their own fame as one video alone was viewed over 21 million times! We all should appreciate the continued focus on keeping KFC relevant and engaging for our consumers who keep us top-of-mind.

As our local communities and the country emerge from the pandemic, and as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, our sales continue to remain strong. With the supply-related challenges, we have had to make changes in our TV and digital media approach. As a result, we will see heavier year-end media spending as we look to restart our sandwich promotion along with high-end promotions of COB, beverages, and sides. Once we have a steady tenders supply, we can look to promote them as well. Thanks to the work of KFC Marketing, our agency partners, and our Marketing Subcommittee, our “war chest” of funds remains full. We will be ready to go out loud and strong when supply pressures ease. We WILL remain competitive and keep the love for KFC going strong.

Last year, our beverage business took a big hit, as we sold fewer lowend meals and combos. With beverages playing such an important role in what we offer our customers, we have brought back an official Beverage Subcommittee. Joan Bowling is leading that subcommittee that

includes strong franchise family representation (longtime beverage veteran Kevin Schlutz, Bill Byrd, David Sparks, Justin Stewart, Pete Wasilevich, Jeremy Dimick, Anthony Gianino, and Raziel Valiente), along with KFC Marketing and Pepsi, Dr Pepper, and Tetley partners. By now, you have seen new, refreshed beverage merchandising focusing on Beverage Buckets. The Subcommittee is focused on the marketing and operations side, paying close attention to the competitive landscape and what our customers are telling us they want from KFC. Look forward to more beverage news in the future.

The last bit of change I wanted to mention is our NCAC Executive Director leadership change.

Cynthia Koplos officially retires at the end of June; she has left an indelible mark on the KFC Family.

Her commitment to partnership, transparency, communication, and overall excellence was shown not only in her leadership of the NCAC office and the team, but in her working relationship with the NCAC Board, franchisees, KFCC teams, agency partners, and the list goes on. She has spent her last few months training Karen Sherman, who has stepped into the role. I look forward to working

Before this year, I could not really tell you what TikTok was — now I know that it is basically a digital talent show for everyday people. with Karen and appreciate her partnership and that of the entire NCAC team of Holly (Goode) Winkel, Denise Medlock, Emily Gaddie, and Ron Gardner.

Change is our new normal, but I know the “Power of the People” in this great system has proven that change continues to make us stronger and better. Thank you for your continued support and partnership. n

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Summer 2021 AKFCF Quarterly 11

In the NEWS

Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence to create globally scalable program to educate and support entrepreneurs and advance franchising industry.

Y

um! Brands, Inc. and the University of Louisville (UofL) recently announced the launch of the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence. The Center will feature the first business program of its kind at a public university to provide existing and potential franchisees multiple levels of online education focused on the franchising model across industries.

In addition, the center will focus on recruiting and educating underrepresented people of color and women on the possibilities of franchising as a pathway to entrepreneurship. The creation and funding of the center is part of Yum!’s global Unlocking Opportunity Initiative, in which the company committed $100 million over five years to promote equity and inclusion, education, and entrepreneurship for employees, frontline restaurant teams, and communities around the world.

“We believe that combining the resources and expertise of the University of Louisville with Yum! Brands will create an unrivaled resource for world-class training in franchising that will help people everywhere, particularly underrepresented people of color and women, succeed in franchise ownership and management,” said UofL President Neeli Bendapudi. “We’re excited about the new center as it aligns with UofL’s commitment to empower our communities and supports our vision to become the nation’s premier anti-racist metropolitan research university.”

“We’re proud to partner with the University of Louisville on developing a sustainable, globally scalable program that democratizes exposure to and builds knowledge of the franchising industry for all,” said Scott Catlett, Yum!’s chief legal and franchise officer. “Our hope is the center will carve a path to economic opportunity and successful ownership for talented,

12 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

University of Louisville

YUM! AND THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE ANNOUNCE FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND EDUCATION AND RESEARCH CENTER

underrepresented people while bringing diverse voices and ideas to the broader franchising community.”

The Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence builds on UofL’s existing franchising education tracks within the College

“We’re proud to partner with the University of Louisville on developing a sustainable, globally scalable program that democratizes exposure to and builds knowledge of the franchising industry for all.”

—Scott Catlett, Yum!’s chief legal and franchise officer

of Business, which include a graduate program and an executive-level Franchise Management Certificate. New to the center is an undergraduate franchising track within the Bachelor of Business Administration program that launched in the Spring 2021 semester. The center’s curriculum development will continue to be led by franchising industry alumni and business experts at UofL with subject matter experts at Yum! Brands providing resources, up-to-date information and powerful industry insights on the state of franchising. In addition, to improve equity for underrepresented people of color and women, the center will: • Actively recruit diverse students to its undergraduate, graduate, and executive-level programs offered through the College of Business; • Conduct research to develop new knowledge surrounding franchise ownership, including case studies, white papers, and other work to better understand the reasons for lower ownership by underrepresented people of color and women; • Create regular podcasts and a practitioner-focused journal to share franchising

education and news with franchise owners and managers.

“Franchising is one of the best paths to entrepreneurship, creating an opportunity to build generational wealth,” said Kathleen Gosser, Ph.D., executive-in-residence in the UofL College of Business, where the Center will be based. “Franchise ownership among underrepresented people of color and women is lower than their representation in the population. Our goal is to uncover and reduce barriers to franchise ownership, starting with education.”

The franchising model is strong in the U.S. and globally, and makes business ownership accessible to many individuals.

By the end of 2021, the International Franchise Association projects the franchising industry will increase to more than 780,000 outlets employing 8.2 million people in the United States alone.

“Partnering with UofL on the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence allows Yum! Brands to amplify our world-class

franchising model and give more people access to the franchising world and the ability to create generational wealth and a legacy,” said Wanda Williams, head of Yum! Global Franchising. “Access to the program will also be a wonderful opportunity for new franchisees entering the Yum! Brands system as well as for employees who want to become business owners.”

In addition to Yum! Brands’ recent grant to UofL, the company also is investing $6 million over five years to advance equity and opportunity across Louisville, particularly in West Louisville, including uplifting black students, educators, entrepreneurs and social change agents. As part of this, Yum! is working with Nat Irvin, assistant dean in the UofL College of Business, on the university’s Pathways program to help predominantly Pell Grant-eligible high school students at key public schools in Louisville earn college credits from and early admission to the university.

Source: Yum!

Condolences: Oren “OC” Crothers, 92, of Arcadia, California, passed away on May 18. Crothers was a Past Board Member and President of the NWKFC. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Mary; daughter, Karen Tanner & son-in-law James; grandson Christopher Tanner & wife Mary of Las Vegas, Nevada; grandson Miles Tanner & wife Alejandra of Bellflower, California; and second daughter Corrine Crothers & son-in-law Dean Olson of Palm Desert, California.

Summer 2021 AKFCF Quarterly 13

In the NEWS

KFCC AIMS TO TRIPLE IN SIZE AND OPEN A NEW LOCATION EVERY FIVE HOURS

K

FC sees the potential to triple in size in the coming years, especially in overseas markets, the company revealed recently.

This growth trajectory could yield more than the projected 4-percent annual unit growth for Yum. According to Yum!, 90 percent of the KFC’s growth in the last five years has been from overseas markets, with 70 percent of growth coming from outside of the United States and China. Much of the unit growth also has been in emerging markets such as India. Here are more key takeaways from KFC’s recent global investor day: KFC will open one restaurant every five hours this year To give an idea of the scale of KFC’s growth over the past year and potential moving forward, KFCC plans to almost triple in size from 25,292 restaurants to 75,000, with a new location opening every five hours in 2021. Over the last two quarters alone, the company has opened 700 units.

The strength of this growth projection is aided by “attractive unit-level returns for franchisees, a flexible real estate strategy” and opportunities in emerging markets globally, including Africa, Russia, the Middle East, and India, according to analysis from Baird Equity Research.

43 percent of transactions. Digital growth has increased by 72 percent to $10 billion in sales in 2020, with another $3 billion in digital sales already in 2021.

KFC is rolling out new technologies KFC is investing in convenience technologies to ease friction for customers and employees, including a driver tracking system for restaurant managers to track driver availability/location and for customers to check in on their orders.

The company also is rolling out temperature-regulating Bluetooth sensors for kitchens, augmented reality glasses for employee training, and investing in robotics for “broader applicability and scaling potential.”

Digital sales have more than doubled since the pandemic began According to KFCC, like the rest of the restaurant industry, KFC leaned heavily on digital channels in 2020, with digital sales increasing by $4 billion from 20 percent to

Plant-based chicken is being piloted in eight markets KFC’s first plant-based protein, Beyond Fried Chicken, is “actively rolling out” to eight markets globally through pilot programs of full-on product launches: “We’re definitely seeing customer increase interest in plant-based proteins in North America, Europe and Asia,” a KFC representative said during a recent investor day. “It’s broad-reaching and we’re excited about the opportunity.”

Source: Nation’s Restaurant News

Condolences: Josephine Adams Wurster, 84, passed away on Apr. 22, 2021. Wurster, the granddaughter of the Colonel, was a dedicated mother first and foremost. She treasured her children and embraced every moment with them. She especially loved her role as “Oma” to her grandchildren. She had a vivacious personality and always made people around her laugh and see the sunny side of life. And, she was a true friend to so many.

She loved to write letters and send cards; a lost art these days. Wurster’s love for the arts was a huge part of her life; she requested any donations in her memory be sent to Dreyfoos School Of The Arts via the School of the Arts Foundation in Palm Beach County, Florida. Our deepest condolences her family and friends.

14 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

YUM! JOINS ONETEN COALITION TO ACCELERATE BLACK TALENT INTO U.S. RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT

Y

um! recently announced that it has joined OneTen, a coalition of U.S. businesses leading a bold initiative to create career mobility and advancement opportunities for one million African Americans over the next 10 years.

To advance equity, OneTen partners like Yum! will develop, retain, and advance diverse and underrepresented talent, more broadly, but with an explicit commitment to hire, upskill or promote black talent without four-year degrees. Across Yum!’s U.S. brands, participation in this coalition would include supporting advancement initially to roles in restaurant general management and field leadership for company-owned restaurants and jobs in Yum!’s U.S. corporate offices.

“We are thrilled to join the OneTen coalition and take this step in our ongoing

efforts to advance equity and career opportunity for underrepresented people of color across our brands,” said Yum! CEO David Gibbs. “OneTen’s bold mission aligns well with our company’s values and our belief in all people, and I’m looking forward to participating in a collective effort that will undoubtedly have a positive impact in our industry, our current U.S. workforce, and generations to come.

“The collective impact of companies partnering with OneTen will transform the U.S. landscape of job opportunities and talent development in positive and meaningful ways, and its roster of best-in-class organizations is a testament to the power of its mission,” said Tracy Skeans, COO and chief people officer of Yum!. “At Yum!, we recognize that attracting, retaining and developing diverse talent

is critical to ensuring that we remain relevant as our industry and consumers evolve, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to be part of something that will have a large-scale, longterm impact.”

Signing onto the OneTen coalition directly aligns with Yum!’s global Unlocking Opportunity Initiative, which includes a $100-million commitment over five years to promote equity and inclusion, education and entrepreneurship for employees, frontline restaurant teams, and communities around the world.

Across KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and The Habit Burger Grill, and in close collaboration with Yum!’s franchisees, the Unlocking Opportunity Initiative builds on more than 20 years of investing in the company’s people-first culture.

Source: Yum!

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Summer 2021 AKFCF Quarterly 15

In the NEWS

AUSTRALIAN WOMAN GOES VIRAL FOR CREATING KFCTHEMED BIRTHDAY CAKE

T

he usual response to someone making you a birthday cake is a polite ‘thank you,’ but this wasn’t the case for one mother whose son walked straight past the unrecognizable creation.

Tracey Seymour, a 56-year-old woman from Australia, has gone viral for her insane birthday cake. Seymour, who kindly made a birthday cake for her 34-year-old son, invited him over to showcase her creation.

Her son’s response was somewhat Seymour spent just $35 on ingredients for her shop-bought underwhelming as he walked straight cake upgrade. (Facebook/Tracey Seymour) past it, understandable given its incredible likeness to a bucket of KFC — but the the bucket lol.” While another admired Seyreaction on Facebook was quite the opposite. mour’s work: “Are you sure that’s not a bucket One user asked: “Wait … is this a joke or real? of KFC? Amazing job.”

It looks like actual KFC. I need to see inside So, how did she do it? Well, Seymour

remodeled a store-bought cake from Woolworths into the famous KFC bucket in the space of one-and-a-half hours.

She reused an old KFC bucket as the base before layering it with two chocolate mud cakes with a white chocolate cake in between.

The ‘chicken’ was created with white chocolate cake and snack bars dipped in Caramilk chocolate and rolled in crunchy nut cornflakes to give the ‘crunchy fried’ effect.

Of course, no KFC is complete without its famous gravy. Inside a KFC container, Seymour mixed buttercream icing and caramel sauce to mimic the must-have side, while another pot contained slices of Madeira cake wedges to complete the meal with fries.

Recalling the story to news.com.au, Seymour said: “He goes, ‘Where is it?’ I said, ‘You just walked past it. He’s like, ‘That’s chicken,’ and I said, ‘No, that’s your cake.’”

Seymour has spent the last few years upgrading cakes for family celebrations. She explained, “I don’t bake the cakes, I just go to Coles and Woolies and get the mud cakes and I try and fit to the occasion or the person.”

Talk about an incredible attention-to-detail.

Source: indy100.com

Condolences: Milton Smith, longtime KFC franchisee, passed away on Apr. 17, 2021. Smith became a franchisee in 1981, opening his first KFC restaurant in Presque Isle, Maine. He is survived by a son, Derik L. Smith and his wife, Ellyn Smith; two grandchildren, Erik Smith and Adelle Smith; his sister, Gloria Bruce and her husband, Edward; and many nieces and nephews.

16 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

FRANCHISEE DEPLOYS ENERGY-SAVINGS PLATFORM TO OFFSET SHRINKING MARGINS

B

y rolling out an energy-as-a-service model, Outlaw Enterprises, a franchisee based in South Carolina, has reduced lighting costs and improved HVAC and refrigeration efficiency across its 13 KFC, Taco Bell and combination KFC/Taco Bell franchise restaurants.

“The [old] lighting and cooling equipment met our needs but it was not operating as efficiently as I wanted,” Ashley Page, director of operations of Outlaw Enterprises, said in a company press release. “Replacing the equipment with newer technology all at once was not an option due to high costs.”

Page found his ideal solution with Budderfly’s energy-as-a-service model and began a pilot program in May 2020 with four KFCs and one KFC/Taco Bell location. It included: • Converting all exterior, interior and

parking lot lighting to lower-power LEDs. • Adding advanced walk-in refrigeration controls for improved visibility and efficiency.

• Installing variable frequency drives and react chips to improve HVAC operation.

• Installing smart thermostats to better regulate temperatures.

• Adding sub-metering IoT devices for advanced measurement and monitoring capabilities.

“Other energy efficiency companies approached us in the past,” Page said. “They identified our energy problems and asked us to pay for all of the technology cost upfront — with no guarantees it would save us what

they quoted. To have [this provider] assume all the upgrade costs, keep their quoted promises, and immediately show cost-saving results was a very refreshing change to what I’ve seen from others.

Since the pilot program, Outlaw Enterprises has expanded its relationship with the energy savings firm to include all remaining locations in the company’s franchise, converting all restaurants to LED lighting and upgrading many HVAC units to match those enhancements in the pilot program. Budderfly will upgrade the remaining HVAC units at the end of their useful life with high-efficiency units at no additional cost, the release said.

Source: QSRWeb

Summer 2021 AKFCF Quarterly 17

In the NEWS

KFC CANADA ANNOUNCES 100% HOME COMPOSTABLE CONSUMER PACKAGING BY 2025 KFC becomes the first Quick Service Restaurant in Canada to take this bold step

I

n celebration of World Environment Day (June 5), KFC Canada announced a milestone in its sustainability journey: by 2025, all consumer-facing packaging will be fully home compostable. KFC Canada will begin piloting its first home compostable bucket this year. This commitment will divert nearly 200 million pieces of packaging from Canadian landfills each year, the company reports.

“One of our leading principles at KFC Canada is feeding people, not landfills. The move to 100-percent home compostable consumer packaging is a bold and ambitious step we are taking to inspire positive change in the communities we operate in,” said Nivera Wallani, president & general manager, KFC Canada.

“We embrace our responsibility to drive meaningful change across the industry and work closely with our suppliers, franchisees and team members to continuously lessen KFC’s environmental footprint.”

Protecting the planet is one of KFC’s core values and over the last several years the company has made great strides in lessening its environmental footprint, it says. Recent highlights in KFC Canada’s sustainability journey include: • Testing of fiber-based cutlery: In November 2020, select restaurants began testing a new fiber-based ‘spork,’ made from bamboo, corn and sugarcane. The new cutlery naturally decomposes at room temperature and requires no additional treatment, nor does it leave any toxic by-products. The process takes approximately 18 months to

Chris Bradford | YUM! Brand Manager Mobile/Text: 248.561.7150 Email: cbradford@paycor.com Take a Tour Today: www.paycor.com/hcm-software

18 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

decompose. Once fully introduced into the KFC restaurant system, the compostable cutlery will eliminate 40 million pieces of plastic cutlery annually.

• Introduction of bamboo buckets: In 2020, KFC Canada announced that bamboo would become a permanent packaging solution for poutine and chicken — given that the material is fast-growing, anti-bacterial and 100-precent biodegradable. By the end of 2021, KFC will have removed 12 million plastic poutine containers from its operations by transitioning to bamboo.

• Removing plastic straws and bags: In 2019, KFC Canada announced its pledge to eliminate all non-recoverable or non-reusable plastic-based packaging by 2025. By the end of 2019, KFC Canada removed all plastic straws and bags from its restaurants, eliminating 50 million straws and 10 million bags across the country.

“Our packaging is a part of our heritage and our storytelling. Beyond its iconic image, we want KFC’s packaging to be forward-thinking, inspiring, and to champion functionality, food safety and eco-friendly solutions,” said Armando Carrillo, innovation manager, KFC Canada. “…A fully home compostable packaging line is the ultimate win for us and for the environment.”

To celebrate this new commitment, KFC Canada is partnering with Toronto-based artist, Briony Douglas to design and create an iconic KFC bucket installation made entirely out of home compostable materials. The installation was revealed on June 30. To learn more about KFC Canada’s approach to environmental sustainability visit: kfc.ca/environment.

Source: KFC Canada

Know Your Acronyms In our business, there is a great deal of terminology and jargon. As more processes and systems are added, the acronyms continue to pile up. Thus, AKFCF Quarterly decided it is time for us all to brush up on the many acronyms you will hear in your daily lives and read about in this magazine. Be sure to pass this along to your employees, or post a copy in your offices.

76(5P) 1976(5P) KFC Franchise Agreement

IAYF International Association of Yum Franchisees (formerly known as the IAKFCF, International Association of KFC Franchisees)

QSR

Quick Serve Restaurant

AKFCF Association of Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchisees

REC

Restaurant Economics Committee

ARL

Above Restaurant Leader

RGM

Restaurant General Manager

KFCC

ASAP

American Showman Asset Program

RMI

Restaurant Margin Improvement

AUM

Assistant Unit Manager

NAC National Advertising Cooperative (merged with NFAC to become NCAC)

ROCC Restaurant Operations Compliance Check

BOGO

Buy One Get One

NCAC National Council and Advertising Cooperative

ROI

Return on Investment

RSC

Restaurant Support Center

BOH Back-of-house BSC

Balanced Scorecard

COB

Chicken on the Bone

COGS

Cost of Goods Sold

DMA

Designated Marketing Area

Kentucky Fried Chicken Corporation

NFAC National Franchisee Advisory Council (merged with NAC to become NCAC) NMS

National Marketing Subcommittee

NPC National Purchasing Cooperative (i.e., KFC NPC)

RSCS Restaurant Supply Chain Solutions (formerly UFPC) SBRA Supplier Business Relationship Agreement TOL

Territory Operations Leader

Operations Excellence Committee

TRP

Targeted Rating Point

PAC

Political Action Committee

POP

Point of Purchase

VOC Voice of the Customer (formerly CBCC)

POS

Point of Sale

FA (Or F/A) Franchise Agreement

OEC

FIT

Food Innovation Team

FSC

Food Safety Consultation

GAC

Government Affairs Committee

YUM

Yum! Brands

YRI

Yum! Restaurants International

Summer 2021 AKFCF Quarterly 19

GAC Report

20 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

What’s Next For Taxes & Infrastructure?

By Porter Byers, Polaris Consulting, LLC

A

s of mid-May, the debate regarding President Biden’s infrastructure proposal and

related tax increases is being tied to inflation following the May 12 Department of Labor report that consumer prices surged in April by the most in any 12-month period since 2008. Republicans are beginning their all-out opposition to the $2.3-trillion infrastructure plan by tying the current inflation to the White House-backed American Rescue Plan, which just provided $2 trillion in stimulus throughout the country.

Summer 2021 AKFCF Quarterly 21

Moderate and vulnerable Democrats could be hesitant to support the plan given both the inflation talking points and the tax increases. This gives Republicans leverage for a possible bipartisan agreement at a much lower spending figure, such as Sen. Shelley Capito’s (R-WV) $568-billion proposal. As of now, the key components of President Biden’s tax increases are: • The top individual federal income tax rate would rise from 37 percent to the pre-Trump rate of 39.6 percent.

• Taxpayers with incomes over $1 million would pay a tax of 43.4 percent on capital gains.

• The step-up in basis on death and carried interest loopholes would be eliminated.

• Caps would limit tax deferral for realty exchanges and deductions for excess business losses.

• The corporate rate would rise from 21 percent to 28 percent.

• A 15-percent minimum tax would apply to corporate book income.

• American corporations’ foreign income generally would be subject a tax of 21 percent.

Federal Unemployment Following the lead of Montana, 24 other states are moving to end $300 weekly federal unemployment benefits. Montana announced in early May that all $300 per week payments will cease on June 27, and a one-time $1,200 bonus after four weeks at a new job will be offered. Other states taking steps to end UI include Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, and Wyoming.

Ending or scaling back UI is becoming an increasingly popular talking point among congressional Republicans. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said that after meetings with leadership from businesses of all sizes, and hospitals, “the single biggest complaint they had is they can’t get people to come back to work.

AKFCF – Political Action Committee (PAC)

The AKFCF created a PAC to make sure our voices are heard in Washington, D.C. The AKFCF Government Affairs Committee and the AKFCF PAC Board of Directors would like to thank the franchisees listed below for their contributions this year to the AKFCF PAC. Each quarter, we list the names of the franchisees who have supported the PAC at time of print as a token of our appreciation. This list is all the latest contributions, broken down by region. We encourage you to please join your fellow franchisees and support your AKFCF PAC. For information on how you can become involved, or if you don’t see your name and should, please contact Leslie Sharp, treasurer of AKFCF GAC/PAC at lcsharp4133@icloud.com.

Greater Midwest Dale Black Joan Bowling Heather Dexter Alessio DiFranco Douglas Elish Nancy Fox Anne Goodnight Lesley Hottinger Ben Johnson Michael Kulp Stephanie Kulp Mark Lambos James McKenzie James Mikula Diana Myers Troy Saunders Kevin Schlutz Susan Schmidt Douglas Smith Justin Stewart Nanette Walker

22 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

Chris Walker Peter Wasilevich Bob Widder

Cindy Jorgensen Todd Stewart Calvin White

Northeast Ray Aley Cheryl Aley Anthony Buford Tony Cameron Tommy Cecconi Keith Cole David Evans Frederick Gallant Sherry Houston Michael Houston Robert Rianna Larry Starkey

Southeast John Brown Matthew Druten Barry Dubin Austin Felker Sandra Felker Eric Felker Chris Fowler Michael Galloway Matthew Hansen Tim Harris Howard Killgo Doris Lewis Kristin Mana Dan Rosenbalm Linda Rosenbalm Gurpreet Sandhu Leslie Sharp

Northwest Ralph Harman Jeannie Harman James Jackson Marvin Jorgensen

Bill and Bonny Shelton Jeffery Wallace Richard (Dick) West William (Bill) West Gary West Charles (Tim) West Earl Wilson Southern California Amjad Chaudhry Shahid Chaudhry Israel Diaz Zubair Kazi Patricia McBrayer Raziel Valiente Southwest Debra Ashmore Scott Duke Brandon Robertson

…If you are making more money staying at home, you will choose to stay at home.”

We expect other states to undertake similar efforts in the coming weeks and months.

Paid Leave The White House is urging Congress to pass S.840, The Healthy Families Act, to require employers with 15 or more employees to provide up to seven days of paid sick leave (max 56 hours calcualted by 1 hour for every 8 worked). The sick days can be used to seek preventative care for the employee or a family member. This includes a flu shot, recovering from short-term illness, caring for a sick child or family member or a family member with disability-related needs, or to recover from incidents involving domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

The bill has 33 Democratic co-sponsors, and is in the Senate HELP Committee where it was examined in a hearing on May 18 entitled, “Paid Leave for Working Families: Examining Access, Options, and Impacts.”

• Lowered minimum loan amount in Main Street Lending Program • Qualified Improvement Property (QIP) • Joint Employer Amendment Stay Involved, Donate to the AKFCF PAC Contributing to the AKFCF Political Action Committee (PAC) is the best way to support the election and re-election committees of pro-business Members of Congress who share the same concerns as

franchisees. The money raised in the PAC goes directly to the campaign of those running for Congress, or incumbent members seeking re-election.

You may make your 2021 AKFCF PAC donation online by visiting our portal on the AKFCF website in the Government Affairs tab.

For more information, please contact your regional GAC representative or Amy Agenbroad of Polaris Consulting, LLC (aagenbroad@polariswdc.com). n

PRO Act The Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act) remains at the forefront of many Democrats’ agendas. It currently has 213 House co-sponsors (three Republicans) and 46 Senate co-sponsors (no Republicans), with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) having recently joined the list. Major unions have been threatening to withhold support for vulnerable Senate Democrats that have yet to sign on, including Sens. Mark Kelly (DAZ) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ).

Thank you!

Thank you to those who contributed to the 2020 AKFCF PAC. Your generous contributions helped keep AKFCF at the table and off the menu during key negotiations throughout the ever-changing 2020. Additionally, creating a pooled set of resources, AKFCF had a hand in effectively accomplishing the following in one year alone: • Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) • Second round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding • The RESTAURANTS Act included in the House-passed COVID Relief version

Summer 2021 AKFCF Quarterly 23

24 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

Three Ways The Pandemic Changed QSR Leadership And the lessons you can integrate into your own employee training and development

By Jim Sullivan, CEO Sullivision.com

T

here are three things we’ve learned for certain since COVID-19 hit: 1) the foodservice customer has changed, 2) your foodservice team members have changed, and 3) the systems and processes we deploy to serve each of those constituencies has changed too. And in case you haven’t noticed, that includes leadership as well. Here are three key leadership attributes to integrate into your unit manager and above-store leader training and development.

Summer 2021 AKFCF Quarterly 25

Adopt the “whole-person” approach to leadership development; help make your team better people, not just better employees.

Change has changed Change has always been a part of the foodservice industry operational landscape, but in the last 12 months a seismic shift has occurred. Change has gone from being episodic to being continuous. And that is likely to linger into the future. “Preparing for change” is what restaurant industry leaders used to do. Managing perpetual change is what they’re now tasked to do. This requires adopting new skillsets, mindsets, toolsets, and development strategies. Strategic planning, critical thinking, and resilience are the top three skills for change management. If you haven’t been reinforcing these skills, then start now.

Hierarchy no longer determines who’s a leader and who is not. Instead, challenge forges leaders. It was our individual team members, after-all, who faced the pandemic head-on and made the necessary pivots at the restaurant level. Adopt the “whole-person” approach to leadership development; help make your team better people, not just better employees.

Excel at indirect influence For the first time ever, area managers found themselves unable to visit their restaurants when the pandemic hit in March 2020.

These routine visits are the very essence of the job an above-store leader is expected to perform. Restaurant visits routinely assess adherence to brand standards, store-level management capabilities, effectiveness of systems and processes, customer interaction, and team member performance. When prevented from visiting, area managers soon discovered how long (or short) of a leadership shadow they cast. That’s because their in-person absence meant that restaurant unit managers had to assume roles, responsi-

26 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

bilities, and decision-making that traditionally was relegated to their ARLs. Since true leadership is formed in the moments that challenge us most, what’s more challenging than a worldwide pandemic that requires a full-system reset and a determined pivot to daily innovation and dogged resilience? General managers and assistant managers rose to the occasion.

Enlightened area managers soon realized the importance of developing, reinforcing, and inspiring self-efficacy in our unit managers. Self-efficacy is the confidence we have to set and achieve our own goals under the circumstances surrounding us. A high degree of self-efficacy is what enables managers (and team members) to successfully navigate the challenges thrown their way. Smart above-store leaders learned to lead more through governance than hands-on management. That means they no longer see themselves as the person who shows up and “fixes things.” Instead, they have become more adept at one-on-one coaching at scale by evolving from “compliance cop” to indirect influencer and brand ambassador.

Adam Grant, organizational psychologist and author puts it this way: “In performance cultures, people often become attached to best practices. The risk is that once we’ve declared a routine the best, it becomes frozen in time. We preach about its virtues and stop questioning its vices, no longer curious about where it’s imperfect and where it could improve. Organizational learning should be an ongoing activity, but best practices imply it has reached an end point. We might be better off searching for better practices.” Well said.

So what are the new lessons in leadership that area directors and general managers can glean from these leadership shifts? First, presume that every single day your KFC team members ask: “Do I matter?” At that point, you realize your primary role as a leader is to routinely affirm — not just periodically inform — your crew. Second, pursue the bright spots. Invest as much time scaling successes as you do solving problems. Third, when you visit restaurants or conduct manager meetings via video, be upbeat and provide strategic clarity: Know the way, show the way, and go the way. n

Define and deploy better practices Teaching managers to lead via best practices is a peculiar process. It goes something like this: You find an Abe Lincoln-type (or a Norman Brinker, or a Howard Schultz, or a Nelson Mandela). You identify a bunch of best practices and attributes of Abe Lincoln. And you tell managers that if they do these things they will be like Abe Lincoln.

Sounds silly when you read it, but that’s what traditional leadership has done for the last 50 years: identify, codify, and teach best practices and then wonder why we haven’t become an industry of Abe Lincolns.

Jim Sullivan is an author and consultant whose clients include KFC, Panera, Chipotle, Domino’s, and Texas Roadhouse. He’s the author of two bestselling books: “Multiunit Leadership” and “Fundamentals,” available at Amazon. For daily leadership insight, join Jim’s 400K social media followers at LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. His new e-learning development program for Multiunit Leaders, called MultiU 2.0, is available at MultiunitLeadership.com.

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POWER OF THE PEOPLE Individuals making a difference for the KFC system

By Kelly Rodenberg

F

ollowing what has likely been one of the most difficult years in the history of our brand, we focused on a few of our family members who remained eager to share their own experiences, approaches to this transitionary time and prospects for a successful path forward. This issue contains our last set of profiles of those who truly made a difference in our system. So again, we say “Thank You” for stepping up in ways that benefit us all and making KFC a better brand. We hope you enjoyed getting to know them and if you see them at a regional meeting or Convention, let them know you appreciate the difference they made for our family.

28 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

POWER OF THE PEOPLE

Mary Hester

Director Poultry Procurement, Restaurant Supply Chain Solutions – RSCS Years with the KFC system: 38

Generating a difference: At the beginning of COVID, we enhanced our contingency plans for COB by increasing our frozen inventory. And with the help of KFC QA, we increased the shelf life. KFC COB sales increased substantially with the $20 and $30 Fill up promotions. Additionally, we ensured supply during the successful Mother’s Day promotions in 2020 and 2021, and we identified additional COB volume at Case Farms and have an alternate COB supplier in the ASAP process.

Looking ahead: We continue to enhance contingency plans and continue to review other options to increase supply (specification changes or shelf life opportunities).

Coping with change: This past year, we have experienced challenges never seen before, including debilitating snowstorms (50 percent of the COB plants were closed for several days), unprecedented absenteeism at our manufacturing plants, and increased demand due to successful marketing plans at KFC. But we still ensured supply of COB. Role model: My seventh-grade teacher. He only taught me for one year, as he wanted to teach high school and be a football coach. He did achieve this and won seven state championships. I was very shy, so he pushed me to do things that were uncomfortable but ultimately helped me become more confident. He encouraged me to learn from my mistakes instead of worrying about them. He gave me confidence to speak up for what I believed in.

Inspiration: My mom. My mother taught me to believe I could do anything I wanted and encouraged me to find a career that I enjoyed. She also taught me to be a good mother, wife, and friend.

Key advice received: Always do more than what is expected. I had a boss many years ago tell me that once and it resonated in me throughout my career. It has helped me to slow down and evaluate my decisions before implementing them.

Mary Hester and her family

ALWAYS DO MORE THAN WHAT IS EXPECTED. I HAD A BOSS MANY YEARS AGO TELL ME THAT ONCE AND IT RESONATED IN ME THROUGHOUT MY CAREER. IT HAS HELPED ME TO SLOW DOWN AND EVALUATE MY DECISIONS BEFORE IMPLEMENTING THEM.

Summer 2021 AKFCF Quarterly 29

POWER OF THE PEOPLE

Shane Lovato

Director of Operations, A&M Enterprises and SW Regional Secretary Years with the KFC system: 14 Generating a difference: The great thing about the world we live in is that its not hard to find the difference in everything. Not one thing is the same and even though society or culture may try to make everything similar, it is when a person can see through the similarities that they can really begin to use those differences to empower and grow themselves and the people around them. That is why I always look for the differences in my team and, by using those differences, we grow Shane Lovato together to be successful. I grow with my team and that is needed today more than ever. The workforce we are hiring today is not like it was 10 years ago, or even one year ago. It’s important to understand and relate to the people in our restaurants. I make a difference by taking each of my team members’ individual traits and letting them be themselves and grow. I used to try to shape and mold people into what I thought the perfect employee was. Now I only give them the necessary tools they need to be successful and if they make mistakes, I am there to support them in finding a solution to get them back on track.

Looking ahead: This next year is going to seem like the best year ever. Now that we get to welcome our guests back into our lobbies and use all that we have learned this year to better our business, I hope the momentum stays throughout our company. Also being part of the SW Region and being privileged enough to go to many meetings and events throughout the year, I am excited to travel once again. I hope we can use the knowledge we have gained to create new opportunities for our teams and our fellow franchisees. Innovation is top of mind, and being able to meet with KFC leaders so that we can create new experiences is all I’m looking forward to.

30 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

Coping with change: Change is never easy! For better or worse, we all must deal with change. I deal with it by accepting that nothing is constant.

Being in the restaurant business, we change all the time. Menus, procedures, people; it all changes. Being able to adapt is the strongest trait a business owner can have. Also having a strong support system that helps you make these changes is important.

My parents, our team, and even our guests, all take part in the changes that take place in our business. Having them there to support me is how I accomplish my goals.

Imagining differently: I imagine that not long from now we will see KFC change. Growing not by locations, but by the number of leaders we have developed over this past year. There have been so many people who have had to step up and create a new sense of stability — changing and learning how to cope with an environment that now seems normal. We all have come out of this pandemic stronger. I know that we still have many challenges ahead. But we should feel more prepared than ever because now we have the ability to create change that is supported by the people who we have supported for so long.

Role model: My parents are my role models. They are going on their 38th year being franchisees, and they are still working in the restaurant with me every day. When they retire, I do not think they will know what to do with all their free time. They have taught me the ins and outs of the business and how to be a strong leader. My confidence and work ethic have been a product of their support and guidance. Growing up in the brand, I have had the unique pleasure of having a strong KFC franchisee support system, having some of the best business

leaders just a phone call away. I hope to be a role model for my team and future KFC leaders just like my parents and the great people that I have had the pleasure of getting to know in this great company.

Inspiration: My inspiration is my Grandpa Leo — probably one of the greatest businessmen of all time in my eyes. In his life, he went on to own seven KFC’s and always supported and cared about his family first. When he was in high school, most of his teachers told him he was not going to make it far. So, he dropped out and proved that a diploma or degree isn’t needed to be successful. If you ever had the chance to meet him, you would know that he always had a joke ready and a story that was probably made up. But he knew how to run a great business and always knew how to take care of his family.

Key advice received: “Always ask questions.” Asking questions is the only way we educate ourselves to the unknown. Without the ability to ask questions, we cannot grow as individuals. We should question everything, whether it's in private to ourselves or in a public forum.

“Why” is the best question of all. Embracing the curiosity one has for why something is can explain almost everything. But no matter what anyone says, there are stupid questions, such as, “How many pieces come in an 8pc Bucket?”

Besides KFC work, what do you do for fun or in your free time: I haven’t had much free time at all this year, but when I do get the chance to golf, I always take it.

Traveling is also top of the list. Since we haven’t been able to travel lately, I am hoping to travel much more this year and catch up on everything I have missed.

Disneyland will be the first place I go as that is one of my favorite destinations. Other than that, spending time with my family has got to be my all-time favorite thing to do.

Summer 2021 AKFCF Quarterly 31

POWER OF THE PEOPLE

Christopher Basinger Vice President, Northwest Restaurants, Inc Years with the KFC system: 26 Coping with change: Many years ago, we would spend a great deal of money to hire and train external people to manage our restaurants. Over the last several years, we have worked hard to move the bar to a more internal promotion program. While today we still hire externally, it is now approximately 10 percent to 15 percent of our model with the remaining 85 percent to 90 percent being internal. We have created an entire “classroom series” of training for different levels of management to help them really understand what the expectations are of their current position, as well as the next level. These investments into our internal people have helped us really become an employer of choice within the food industry.

Imagining differently: With current “Generation Z” employees, you must find different ways to effectively communicate with them. To this end, we are currently testing a software system that uses our in-restaurant camera systems to change customer service behaviors. Most companies use cameras only in a reactive state (slip-andfall or customer incident); what we are doing now is to communicate service goals to employees and then grade them against those goals by showing them a short video of them doing it the correct way. At the beginning of each shift, the manager reminds all employees of our customer service commitments, (smiles, pleases, thank you’s, suggestive selling, repeating order, etc) so that these are all top of mind. At the end of each week, every order goes through an AI filter and each employee sees their results versus the other employees on how many times they achieved all five aspects on a single order — we call it a WIN Percentage. This really has worked with motivating Gen Z employees, as it takes all of the feelings out of it and boils down to simply, “Did we do it? Yes or no?”

Inspiation: My wife, Thacady Basinger, runs the day-today operations of our home, and with five kids running around and an elderly mother, it is no easy feat. She runs a tight ship day in and day out, keeping the kids — and me — organized on what needs to be done and who needs to be where and by what time. In addition to being a great mother, she is a tremendous and supportive spouse. In

32 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

Basinger family

the evenings, we go on long walks and catch up on the events of the day. I usually bounce a crazy idea or two off her and she gives me her honest opinions. She absolutely brings out the best in me.

Key advice received: We are in the people business and if you channel most of your energy into people development and building people capabilities, all the other goals you are trying to achieve will take care of themselves. I received this this lesson as a 16-year-old kid and always kept that top of mind over the years.

Besides KFC work, what do you do for fun or in your free time: My wife and I have five kids that range in age from 10 to 20 years old. I enjoy getting to see them participate in sports and/or school activities. We also plan a couple of family travel trips each year, both domestically and internationally. The plan is always to work hard when you are at work, but to then play hard when you are spending time with your family. Enjoy the treasured amount of time you as a parent have with them as they grow. We want our kids to see other cultures and not only appreciate the things that are different, but also to then have a better appreciation for the things they have in life.

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Celebrating This Year’s 583 REACH Grant Winners!

34 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

By Elizabeth Edrington, KFC Foundation Communication Coordinator

I

n April, we announced the KFC Foundation’s 2021 REACH Grant winners to the system. As usual, we then tossed the onus over to franchisees and ARLs to celebrate their winners — and you delivered! We saw a record number of giant REACH checks claimed, and it was impossible to miss the influx of REACH celebra-

tion photos coming through on KFC Strong with comments upon comments of congratulations and encouragement.

From themed cupcake cakes to goodie baskets full of school supplies to company leaders being there to congratulate the winners, our KFC family really took REACH recognition to the next level!

Fun facts • The KFC Foundation awarded more than $1.25 million to 583 REACH Grant awardees this year.

• The winners were spread across 450 different restaurants, 104 franchisees, and 46 states!

• There were 195 repeat winners and 388 first-time winners.

• Harman and KBP tied for the most total REACH recipients at 94!

• A few impressive ratios: –V & L Drive-In, Inc. had three winners from their one restaurant –White, Inc. had three winners from their one restaurant –Prendiville Investments Corp. III had two winners from their single restaurant –KFC of Taunton had nine winners from their five restaurants

For the second year in a row, K980077 with Fitzpatrick Acquisitions absolutely rocked the REACH Grant.

In 2020, this team had a record number of 12 REACH Grant winners! In 2021, this team had nine REACH Grant winners! Big shoutout to the management team at this restaurant: RGM, Kenneth Kelling, and AUM, Amanda Wynsma. Thank you for promoting the REACH Grant opportunity to your team. They wouldn’t have known about or won this grant without your positive leadership!

Restaurants with five REACH winners this year: • E720165 – Harman • S720196 – Harman

Restaurants with four REACH winners this year: • C043001 – KFC of Taunton • C212001 – Second Gen, Inc. • C750057 – Stewart Restaurant Group • E320014 – Harman Management Corp.

• S720173 – Harman Management Corp.

Summer 2021 AKFCF Quarterly 35

Congratulations to all the 2021 REACH Grant awardees!

Thank you to our participating restaurants for making this impactful program possible for KFC restaurant employees across the country.

REACH WINNERS

ORGANIZATION

Justin Beebe

Abalar Fast Foods, Inc.

Makieah Mack

Bacon Enterprises

Kristie Eddy

D.E. Foods

Mackenzie Marett

Abalar Fast Foods, Inc.

Keviona Webb

Bacon Enterprises

Shaneva Edwards

D.E. Foods

Victoria Jennings

Alice J. Schleicher, Inc.

Amya-Omar Cancino

BBG North, LLC

Israt Jahan

D.E. Foods

Elisha Jeanbaptiste

AMFOODS LLC

Sarah Macakanja

BBG North, LLC

Ciarah Jean Baptiste

D.E. Foods

Jakaris Jones

AMFOODS LLC

Shane Schaefer

BBG North, LLC

Thomas Kenn

D.E. Foods

Lazaro Morales

AMFOODS LLC

Kaitlyn McQueary

Anika Lawrence

D.E. Foods

Geraldine Pierre

AMFOODS LLC

Alainey Kennedy

Samuel Makarewicz

D.E. Foods

Bell Bells and Birds, Inc.

Dakota Beck

Ampex Brands, LLC

Ian Beatty

Central Iowa KFC, Inc.

Kevin McBirney

D.E. Foods

Liam Belan

Ampex Brands, LLC

Abigail Coon

Central Iowa KFC, Inc.

Ashanti Moxam

D.E. Foods

Jaime Dermotta

Ampex Brands, LLC

Nathan Brewer

Chicken Champs Inc.

Toniann Pike

D.E. Foods

Lindsey Dermotta

Ampex Brands, LLC

Alexa Opal

Chicken Champs Inc.

Michal Pineda

D.E. Foods

Lonjay Hemphill

Ampex Brands, LLC

Brooklyn Stevenson

Chicken Champs Inc.

Shajada Simon

D.E. Foods

Keith Koenig

Ampex Brands, LLC

Hannah Pike

Chicken Shack Potsdam LLC

Shamari Sykes

D.E. Foods

Shadler Nguyen

Ampex Brands, LLC

Priscila Palafox Avila

Jean Syllien

D.E. Foods

Adrianna Nicholson

Ampex Brands, LLC

Sophia Monroe

CLC Idaho, LLC

Sabrina Uddin

D.E. Foods

Ja’Quayzsha Parks-Thomas Ampex Brands, LLC

Bryson Smith

CLC Idaho, LLC

Emina Velic

D.E. Foods

Leah Ramsey

Ampex Brands, LLC

Devin Woodward

CLC Idaho, LLC

Melani Da Lomba

Alanna Roberts

Ampex Brands, LLC

Rylee Haggy

Crow’s Steak House, Inc.

Emelia Seibert

Ampex Brands, LLC

Kayla Alexis

D.E. Foods

Ava Foster

Benjamin Moua

Apple Valley Grandco, Inc.

Lois Apreko

D.E. Foods

Cesar Ocampo

Desert de Oro Foods, Inc.

Taylor Rego

Apple Valley Grandco, Inc.

Samari Auguste

D.E. Foods

Olivia Perez

Desert de Oro Foods, Inc.

Gianna Paiva

Apple Valley K.E.N.C.O., Inc.

Alexandra Barrios

D.E. Foods

Michaela Trenton

Desert de Oro Foods, Inc.

Taylor Paiva

Apple Valley K.E.N.C.O., Inc.

Nahalia Davis

D.E. Foods

Sabira Rahman

DIAZ MANAGEMENT INC

Chelsea Taylor

Apple Valley K.E.N.C.O., Inc.

Sabrina Downs

D.E. Foods

Michael Begines

Dunn & Bowling, Ltd.

Team member Sanida Samora with Stewart Restaurant Group.

36 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

Shift Supervisor BreAnna Montgomery with JRN.

CJJ Enterprises, Inc.

DAL ENTERPRISES, INC.

Sierra Allen David R. Sparks & Dianna S. Sparks

Team member Mark Johnson with PRV Management.

Dee Jay’s QSR, Inc.

Team member Amber Lewis with East Region Corp.

REACH WINNERS

ORGANIZATION

Andrew Bletzinger

Dunn & Bowling, Ltd.

Jared Shafer

Alexis Newman

Dunn & Bowling, Ltd.

Isaac Niedermier

Dunn & Bowling, Ltd.

Lizeth Cruz

Fitzpatrick Acquisitions, L.L.C.

Pacifique Bavugameshi

Fowler Foods

Ryan VanderMarkt Fitzpatrick Acquisitions, L.L.C.

Linda Hernandez

Fowler Foods

Rylee Warner

Kiaya Thornton

Fowler Foods

Fitzpatrick Acquisitions, L.L.C.

E.M. Thomas Management, Inc.

Amanda Wynsma Fitzpatrick Acquisitions, L.L.C.

Taylor Cook

Fulenwider Enterprises, Inc.

Alicia Navarrete E.M. Thomas Management, Inc.

Tiara Garbuzinski Five Star, Limited Partnership

Jeremy Cook

Fulenwider Enterprises, Inc.

Giovanni Reyes E.M. Thomas Management, Inc.

Nicole Goodman Five Star, Limited Partnership

Alyssa Cook

Fulenwider Enterprises, Inc.

Madison Hayes-Gowen

EAB Ventures

Natalia Arellanes

FLEW THE COOP, INC.

Joseph Cook

Fulenwider Enterprises, Inc.

Emily Ward

EAB Ventures

Eduardo Cuevas

FLEW THE COOP, INC.

Emma Garcia

Fulenwider Enterprises, Inc.

Victor Villagomez

FLEW THE COOP, INC.

Julisa Lopez

Fulenwider Enterprises, Inc.

Amber Lewis Casey Kraft

East Region Corp.

EYM Chicken

Laura Leneus

FLG Chicken, LLC

Sonel-fils Mesadieu Fulenwider Enterprises, Inc.

Nicholas Biesbrock Fitzpatrick Acquisitions, L.L.C.

Matthew Rowe

FLG Chicken, LLC

Marcus Nuetzi

Fulenwider Enterprises, Inc.

Eric Donker

Fitzpatrick Acquisitions, L.L.C.

Mehki Ryan

FLG Chicken, LLC

German Rivas

Fulenwider Enterprises, Inc.

Megan Draper

Fitzpatrick Acquisitions, L.L.C.

Jean Caballero

FMI

D’mitria Santos

Fulenwider Enterprises, Inc.

Bradin Edwards Fitzpatrick Acquisitions, L.L.C.

Natasha Davis

FMI

Sascia Scott

Fulenwider Enterprises, Inc.

Jeremy Huggins Fitzpatrick Acquisitions, L.L.C.

Ryan Dow

FMI

Marie Vernet

Fulenwider Enterprises, Inc.

Ashley Noorman Fitzpatrick Acquisitions, L.L.C.

Maleah Neal

FMI

Mikayla Taylor

G & J Restaurants Corp.

Ethan Potts

Chase Tallon

FMI

Veronica Kang

Gallant and Willette, Inc.

Fitzpatrick Acquisitions, L.L.C.

Summer 2021 AKFCF Quarterly 37

REACH WINNERS Angelina Khiem

ORGANIZATION Gallant and Willette, Inc.

Cookie Bosley

Graja, Inc.

Lionel Rebullosa

Graja, Inc.

Andre Valcin

H & H Food Services, L.L.C.

Ayanna Ward

H & H Food Services, L.L.C.

Eliezer Alcazar-Oseguera Harman Management

Denise Fajardo

Harman Management

Dalton Klinger

Harman Management

Catalina Feliciano-Cuadros Harman Management

William Koenig

Harman Management

Melisa Lanzar

Harman Management

Alexander Lew

Harman Management

Jacklyn Lopez

Harman Management

Marisol Lopez Kidd

Harman Management

Giselle Lugo

Harman Management

Briana Manley

Harman Management

Bryant Martin

Harman Management

Lorena Fernandez

Harman Management

Katherine Forbes

Harman Management

Geiselle Garcia Caballero Harman Management Natnael Giday

Harman Management

Daisy Gomez Rivera

Harman Management

Daniella Gonzalez

Harman Management

Daniel Gonzalez

Harman Management

Arturo Alvarez

Harman Management

Kayla Amadi

Harman Management

Abigail Anderson

Harman Management

Maria Azmat

Harman Management

Daniel Beglin

Harman Management

Monserrat Briseno

Harman Management

Simone Brown

Harman Management

Cesar Gutierrez Camarena Harman Management

Michael Butson

Harman Management

Carlos Hernandez

Ethan Camren

Harman Management

Gaetano Chiarenza

Brainer Gonzalez Tobar Harman Management

Rosa Martinez Mercado Harman Management Darcy Matta

Harman Management

Emily Mayoral

Harman Management

Blanca Melgarejo

Harman Management

Yazmin Merlan Solis

Harman Management

Kayleauna Hernandez Harman Management

Annaleez Morones

Harman Management

Harman Management

Oscar Hernandez

Harman Management

Hamda Muktar

Harman Management

Isiah Cole

Harman Management

Jenny Hernandez

Harman Management

Amy Nava

Harman Management

Yesenia Contreras

Harman Management

Maria Hernandez Leon Harman Management

Hailey Nesenson

Harman Management

Santino Delgado

Harman Management

Bryan Holgate

Harman Management

Ugochukwu Nzerem

Harman Management

Brissi Delgado

Harman Management

Tiana Johnson

Harman Management

Alexandria Provencio

Harman Management

Cindy Duarte

Harman Management

Alyxandra Johnson

Harman Management

Tami Reid

Harman Management

Cole Duersch

Harman Management

Jamon Jolley

Harman Management

Dallin Remund

Harman Management

Kylie Duncan

Harman Management

Ve Shun Jones

Harman Management

Sarah Reynolds

Harman Management

Joaquin Durgin

Harman Management

Calli Jordan

Harman Management

Olivia Roberts

Harman Management

Luz Elizarraraz

Harman Management

Dongmin Kang

Harman Management

Nayeli Rodriguez

Harman Management

Rebecca Kjenstad

Harman Management

Maelien Saelee

Harman Management

Jairilyn-Lailani Encarnacion

Harman Management

Team member Lasheika Robinson with Whiteford’s, Inc.

38 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

Julia Goodnol

Harman Management

Harman Management

RGM Matthew Rowe with FLG Chicken.

Shift Supervisor Yashika Mallory from Laurinburg KFC Take Home.

REACH WINNERS Angelica Salazar

ORGANIZATION Harman Management

Gabriel Logwood

J.R.S. Restaurant Corp.

Samantha Arnold

JRN, Inc.

Luis Sandoval Zamora Harman Management

Cameron Williamson

J.R.S. Restaurant Corp.

Iosep Barcenas

JRN, Inc.

Kyla Sanford

Harman Management

Mary Letterman

Leia Bryant

JRN, Inc.

Abigail Sarver

Harman Management

Selena Lewis

JAK Foods, Inc.

Kyle Cates

JRN, Inc.

Cristina Sena

Harman Management

Kelvin Asare

James Nasuti

Amre’ Davis

JRN, Inc.

Christopher Sierra

Harman Management

Lliana Gutierrez

Joint Heirs Food Corp.

Carlos Falcon

JRN, Inc.

Tasha Snyder

Harman Management

Alejandra Rodriguez

Joint Heirs Food Corp.

Lillian Jackson

JRN, Inc.

Anthony Soria

Harman Management

Lesley Virgen Felix

Joint Heirs Food Corp.

Breanna Johnson

JRN, Inc.

Allison Spirek

Harman Management

Magdi Taha

Harman Management

Abuzar Tanveer

Harman Management

Kaitlynn Tatton

Harman Management

Ethan Tatton

Harman Management

Arianne Torio

Harman Management

Marco Valdovinos

Harman Management

Vanessa Valencia

Harman Management

McKinley Van Leeuwen Harman Management Courtney VanDerwerken Harman Management Savanna Vanhsy

Harman Management

Sabrina Vazquez

Harman Management

Emily Villarreal

Harman Management

Lisa Wang

Harman Management

Andre Hurtado

Herb & Kaur Inc.

James Martin

Herb & Kaur Inc.

Luis Perez

Herb & Kaur Inc.

Isabella Rodriguez

Herb & Kaur Inc.

Yeraly Aquino

Houston Enterprises, Inc.

Rosheda Guthrie

Houston Enterprises, Inc.

Dasia Harris

Houston Enterprises, Inc.

Tonyia Richardson

Houston Enterprises, Inc.

Priya Tamang Suarez Houston Enterprises, Inc. Keyla Torres

Houston Enterprises, Inc.

Deisi Velasquez

Houston Enterprises, Inc.

Brett Luna

J. F. Desmond Family Limited Partnership

Martha Mendoza

J. F. Desmond Family Limited Partnership

Paulina Perez Amezcua J. F. Desmond Family Limited Partnership Rebecca Hubbard

J. Hubbard Company, Inc.

Jack Sims

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Summer 2021 AKFCF Quarterly 39

REACH WINNERS

ORGANIZATION

Bryce Joyner

JRN, Inc.

LaToya Daley

KBP Foods

Miles McDonald

KBP Foods

Johnathan Keown

JRN, Inc.

Sarah Daniels

KBP Foods

Sarahi Medina

KBP Foods

Iyana Little

JRN, Inc.

Lexus Diggs

KBP Foods

Derrick Mensah

KBP Foods

Gunnar Mathis

JRN, Inc.

Savannah Dubord

KBP Foods

Madison Meyer

KBP Foods

Alexis Mendenall

JRN, Inc.

Karia Dvorak

KBP Foods

Evelyn Morf

KBP Foods

BreAnna Montgomery

JRN, Inc.

Kristina Evans

KBP Foods

Muhammad Mukhtar

KBP Foods

Chloe Roach

JRN, Inc.

Seth Ewing

KBP Foods

Maha Mukhtar

KBP Foods

Bria Roberson

JRN, Inc.

Brionna Fisher

KBP Foods

Quinn Mumma

KBP Foods

Alyssa Shockley

JRN, Inc.

Peter Ford

KBP Foods

Kenneisha Neal

KBP Foods

Tianna Simmons

JRN, Inc.

Sarah Foster

KBP Foods

Selina Ohene Obeng

KBP Foods

Shelly Sykes

JRN, Inc.

Courtney Fox

KBP Foods

Victor Olabiyi

KBP Foods

April Tidwell

JRN, Inc.

Randall Gamboa

KBP Foods

Caitlin Ostertag

KBP Foods

Morgan Vaughn

JRN, Inc.

Brianna Gardner

KBP Foods

Amanda Parks

KBP Foods

Cameron Waugh

JRN, Inc.

Kristin Gardner

KBP Foods

Rain Patterson

KBP Foods

Cody Weiss

JRN, Inc.

FNU Genevieve Berinyuy

KBP Foods

Rachel Phillips

KBP Foods

Darrielle Johnson

K.F.C. Take Home

Deajinae Gibson

KBP Foods

Brianna Pledger

KBP Foods

Damilola Olabanji

K.F.C. Take Home

Chemica Griffin

KBP Foods

Joshua Rankin

KBP Foods

Iyanu Onakoya

K.F.C. Take Home

Maddie Griffith

KBP Foods

Haley Renno

KBP Foods

Ainsley Hannah Antonio

Kazi Foods, Inc.

Raquel Guerrero

KBP Foods

James Ritter

KBP Foods

Maximiliano Perez

Kazi Foods, Inc.

Emily Hall

KBP Foods

Faith Rogers

KBP Foods

Desiree Ramirez

Kazi Foods, Inc.

Aniyah Henderson

KBP Foods

Adrian Ruiz

KBP Foods

Mireya Rangel

Kazi Foods, Inc.

Anna Hernandez

KBP Foods

Ruby Salas

KBP Foods

Stephany Rodriguez

Kazi Foods, Inc.

Kirsten Hicks

KBP Foods

Eva Santos Cruz

KBP Foods

Idey Abdi

KBP Foods

Leilani Hooks

KBP Foods

Oscar Serna

KBP Foods

Brithanny Aguilar

KBP Foods

Julia Hopkins

KBP Foods

Chanelle Simon

KBP Foods

Brisa Barboza

KBP Foods

Cameron Hutchins

KBP Foods

Karanbir Singh

KBP Foods

Jakob Bartosiewicz

KBP Foods

Humza Ijaz

KBP Foods

Christian Stark

KBP Foods

Kobe Blanco

KBP Foods

Liliana Jaime

KBP Foods

Rachel Testorf

KBP Foods

Kayla Brown

KBP Foods

Shajirrah Johnson

KBP Foods

Angela Thompson

KBP Foods

Octavia Brown

KBP Foods

Ruth Justin

KBP Foods

Makayla Tolber

KBP Foods

Hannah Buren

KBP Foods

Kaleena King

KBP Foods

Angela Torres

KBP Foods

Tiffany Burkitt

KBP Foods

Matthew Kirkendall

KBP Foods

Karla Valle

KBP Foods

Lizbeth Cabrera

KBP Foods

Anna Kovarik

KBP Foods

Jeremy Vaughn Jr.

KBP Foods

Jordan Carr

KBP Foods

Joshua Lambert

KBP Foods

William Vedder

KBP Foods

Hailey Carter

KBP Foods

Robert Lange

KBP Foods

Katana Vongphachanh

KBP Foods

Jacob Chajkowski

KBP Foods

Christa Manges

KBP Foods

Mikale Walker

KBP Foods

Rebecca Chaney

KBP Foods

Jessie Martinelli

KBP Foods

Griffin Wert

KBP Foods

Maverick Chisholm

KBP Foods

Michelle Martinez-Bonilla

KBP Foods

Noah Whited

KBP Foods

Fama Cisse

KBP Foods

Gabriel McCrum

KBP Foods

Indigo Williams

KBP Foods

40 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

REACH WINNERS

ORGANIZATION

Alisha Fisher

Kedis Enterprises, LLC

Robert Yastremski

Kedis Enterprises, LLC

Hailey Chasse

KFC of Taunton, a Limited Partnership

Rebecca Jolius

Kimsco, Inc.

Naydelin de Leon

KFC of Taunton, a Limited Partnership

Olivier Jolius

Kimsco, Inc.

Fatumata Hydara

Cassandra Eyma

KFC of Taunton, a Limited Partnership

Marina Austin

Kendall House, Inc.

Shawna Barr

Kendall House, Inc.

Amber Bates

Kendall House, Inc.

Gregory Holloway

Kendall House, Inc.

Jayleen Giron Hernandez KFC of Taunton, a Limited Partnership

Mallory Kirkpatrick

Kendall House, Inc.

Eliana Massa

Jaelyn Mohler

Kendall House, Inc.

KFC of Taunton, a Limited Partnership

Sadie Reda

Kendall House, Inc.

Abigail Matos

KFC of Taunton, a Limited Partnership

Jose Tovar

Kendall House, Inc.

Noah Mello

Kentucky Fried Chicken of McAlester, Oklahoma, Inc

KFC of Taunton, a Limited Partnership

Amy Tinoco

KFC of Taunton, a Limited Partnership

Joseph McBride

Daniel Del Real Jimenez Kentucky Fried Chicken of Polly’s, Inc.

Leopold Clarke

KFCC

Isaac Hernandez

Kentucky Fried Chicken of W.E.M., Inc.

Patrick Filosa

KFCC

Rebecca Berry

KFC of Taunton, a Limited Partnership

Chenille Levy

KFCC

Kassandralys Salas

KFCC

Lawsen Valcourt

KFCC

Kotes Management, LLC

James Kendall

KSK Management, Inc.

Ashley Thomas

KSK Management, Inc.

Kaitlynd Thomas

KSK Management, Inc.

Jackson Morgan

L.P. Buller, L.L.C.

Ilse Acosta

LAMYTO Enterprises, LLC

Marquez Johnson Laurinburg KFC Take Home, Inc. Sunshine Key Laurinburg KFC Take Home, Inc. Yashika Mccoy Laurinburg KFC Take Home, Inc. Ayana Moultrie Laurinburg KFC Take Home, Inc. Johanna Quezada Salazar

Laurinburg KFC Take Home, Inc.

Harley Tanner

Laurinburg KFC Take Home, Inc.

Ashonta Williams

Laurinburg KFC Take Home, Inc.

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REACH WINNERS

ORGANIZATION

Shakana Elder

Lot Chicken, L.L.C.

Denys Isordia

Northwest Restaurants, Inc.

Anastasha Rainey

Lot Chicken, L.L.C.

Donna Settje

Northwest Restaurants, Inc.

Aubrey Fair

Lucky Dining, Inc.

Sofiya Vinnikova

Northwest Restaurants, Inc.

Rashard Harmon Luihn VantEdge Partners, LLC

Hannah Brady

O INC.

Vanessa Diaz

Manuel Galhandro & Diana Galhandro

Jaileen Castillo-Velazco

O INC.

Manuel Galhandro & Diana Galhandro

Jaida Sims

O INC.

Andrenna Chambers Outlaw Enterprises, Inc.

Javier Rodriguez Madyson Cappelletti

Marble USA Inc.

Daizha White

P2 Restaurants Inc.

Andrew Chang

Marble USA Inc.

Destiny Davis Paris & Potter Management Corp.

Angel Esquivel Tapia

Marble USA Inc.

Jaylynn Hairston

Gabriela Gordillo Aparicio

Marble USA Inc.

Paris & Potter Management Corp.

Abdul Rahman Hakmi

Marble USA Inc.

Destane Leak

Paris & Potter Management Corp.

Ariana Hamid

Marble USA Inc.

Cameron Mitchell

George Hanna

Marble USA Inc.

Paris & Potter Management Corp.

Andrea Montes Cuevas

Marble USA Inc.

Christopher Nguyen

Marble USA Inc.

Julia Pedroza Paris & Potter Management Corp.

Kaden Phipps Paris & Potter Management Corp.

Mitra QSR

Ysabel Frempong

Mitra QSR

Yomarilis Gueits Rodriguez

Mitra QSR

BreAnna White Paris & Potter Management Corp.

Arbay Hassan

Mitra QSR

Rachel Lightner

Thai Hua

Mitra QSR

Amandah Brooks

PMTD Restaurants, LLC

Modupe Jaiyesimi

Mitra QSR

Tegan Dillard

PMTD Restaurants, LLC

Kyreeze Jones

Mitra QSR

Hunter Duke

PMTD Restaurants, LLC

Asim Koirala

Mitra QSR

Mary Gaston

PMTD Restaurants, LLC

Breona Minefee

Mitra QSR

Sydney Johnson

PMTD Restaurants, LLC

Marilyn Monroy

Mitra QSR

Timothy McArthur

PMTD Restaurants, LLC

Brandon Nebafu

Mitra QSR

Aleeyah Ross

PMTD Restaurants, LLC

Sherlean Roberts

Mitra QSR

Nevaeh Sims

PMTD Restaurants, LLC

Melissa Scholes

Mitra QSR

Latonya Teele

PMTD Restaurants, LLC

Cindy La Fortune Tiako

Mitra QSR

Mark Johnson

Alexandra West

Mitra QSR

Premier Restaurant Ventures, LLC

Isabelle Rawlings

Premier Restaurant Ventures, LLC

Isaac Swallow

Premier Restaurant Ventures, LLC

Amber Thomas

Premier Restaurant Ventures, LLC

Jaden Thompson

Premier Restaurant Ventures, LLC

Chloe Hale Alana Robinson

Mohammad S. Jubapa Multi-Fast Food, LLC Net Management, Ltd.

Marco Morales

Noble Pursuit, LLC

Manuel Simon

Noble Pursuit, LLC

Taylor Bucey

Northwest Restaurants, Inc.

Eymar Gonzalez

Northwest Restaurants, Inc.

Kira Harrison

Northwest Restaurants, Inc.

42 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Ashley Alkana

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Aaron Alvarado

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Robert Alvarez

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Israel Barragan

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Montserrat Briones

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Lizbeth Diaz RBD California Restaurants Limited Joanna Gomez

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Felix Holman

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Jasmin Honer

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Jaidah Jackson

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Susanna Kang

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Jessie Leon Alvarez

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Alyssa Madrid

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Diana Martinez

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Christi O’Donnell

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Damian Osorio

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Guadalupe Perez

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Michael John Reyes

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Kaye Anne Reyes

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Hailey Sanchez

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Matthew Torre

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Mya Vazquez

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Alizah Williams

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Melissa Zarazua Reyes

RBD California Restaurants Limited

Andre Poyser Paris & Potter Management Corp.

Savine Allen

Destiny Njos

Jacqueline Aguilar

Brittany Stokes

Paris & Potter Management Corp.

Phil Mook Enterprises, Inc.

Joana Garcia Prendiville Investments Corp. III Mateo Gonzalez Prendiville Investments Corp. III

Janeen Fulkerson

Roubekas Enterprises Inc.

Mara Heino

Roubekas Enterprises Inc.

REACH WINNERS Ziad Abou-Ghali

ORGANIZATION Sanjiv Kanwar

Genoveva Valenzuela Stewart Restaurant Group

Paula Chewy

Value Foodservice LLC

Cheyenne Benson

SC Food Group, LLC

Alicia Verdugo

Stewart Restaurant Group

Doris Desir

Value Foodservice LLC

Kenneth Sinang

SC Food Group, LLC

Beauty Weah

Stewart Restaurant Group

Tamara Hall

Value Foodservice LLC

Alexis Arambula

Second Gen, Inc.

Jasmin Wright

Stewart Restaurant Group

Ezza Jahangir

Value Foodservice LLC

Ruth Kendrick

Second Gen, Inc.

Alexis Bogart-Veneziano

Sundance, Inc.

Jasmine Kaur

Value Foodservice LLC

Kathleen Loslo

Second Gen, Inc.

Declan Knecht

Sundance, Inc.

Gaetchen Prophete

Value Foodservice LLC

Matthew Oresik

Second Gen, Inc.

Karen Loya

SWF Foods, LLC

Mamunur Shanto

Value Foodservice LLC

Morgen Tillema

Second Gen, Inc.

Matthew Mouritsen

SWF Foods, LLC

Tiauna Dora

West Quality Food Service, Inc.

Paige Trosper

Second Gen, Inc.

Joshua Joseph

Jada Hoy

West Quality Food Service, Inc.

Isabel Medina

Shahid Chaudhry & Mahmood Qadri

Callie Hall

STAR BRANDS II, LLC

Ja’mae Barnes

Stewart Restaurant Group

Laura Bennett

Stewart Restaurant Group

Dandre Calvillo

Stewart Restaurant Group

Chris Consul

Stewart Restaurant Group

Leticia Cordova

Stewart Restaurant Group

Ana Corona Bustos Stewart Restaurant Group Avrie Davisson

Haley Reid Addison Wenker

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Meet Leia, 2021 REACH Grant recipient and Janet L. Kuhn Scholarship winner Leia is a KFC team member with JRN in Harrisburg, Illinois who has worked for the company since January 2020.

Within the past year, Leia received the gift of a car from a generous alum of Carrier Mills High School, earned six scholarships in total — including the REACH Grant and the Janet L. Kuhn Scholarship — and was surprised with a laptop from JRN to use for school.

“Leia was very surprised. She thought she only won the $2,000 REACH Grant; She didn’t know she had won the Janet L. Kuhn Scholarship also,” says her Area Coach, Ramona Robison. “This young lady is amazing. …[She has the] most positive and bubbly attitude I have seen in a long time.”

None of Leia’s “luck” has come easy or

JRN team member Leia Bryant with her $4,000 REACH Grant check.

by chance (which you’ll learn more about in the excerpt below from her winning Janet L. Kuhn Scholarship essay); Leia has put in many hours and exceptional effort

Prompt: Janet L. Kuhn left behind a great legacy of lifelong learning and helping others. What would you like your legacy to be? How do you plan to make that mark on your community?

To put it bluntly, I grew up poor. It was hard being a little girl who did not fit in because she couldn’t afford Justice clothing. My mom was not the room mother who always worked the class parties and brought the homemade treats and goody bags. You see, my mom had me at 19. So, in many ways, it was not her fault. She was busy working under-the-table, second-shift jobs to support us. Ironically, we have had to grow up together. But as sad as my life was, I had some amazing teachers who made me feel smart and special. I had teachers who made me feel like a princess, even though my clothes and shoes were old as dirt. Sadly, I also had teachers that only made my reality worse and added to my misery.

I learned early on in my childhood, a teacher had the ability to make a big difference in a child’s life. This has given me a drive and a passion to become a teacher. I want to make a positive impact; I want to be their safe zone.

In trying times as we have experienced with the pandemic, I have gained a greater understanding and appreciation of helping others. I push myself harder than anyone else does because I am the one who wants to make a life for myself. Taking care of myself at such a young age has helped me to see the value of hard work. I work two, part-time jobs while also going to school, taking online college courses, being a About the Janet L. Kuhn Scholarship Janet Kuhn, former KFC director of training execution, passed away suddenly in December 2016. In response, a memorial scholarship fund with the KFC Foundation was created by two generous KFC franchisees and KFCC. Janet’s 27-year career with the KFC brand began as a restaurant general manager.

She worked her way up through the ranks,

44 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

to make her luck. Throughout high school, she juggled dual-credit courses through Southeastern Community College, extracurriculars (softball, basketball, volleyball, and cheerleading) and her job at KFC where she worked up to 24 hours a week — and consistently earned grades that put her at the top of her class.

“I have never looked at hard work as a burden, but as a chance to better myself,” Leia said.

Leia will start at Southeastern Illinois College in the fall at a sophomore level. Her goal is to become a teacher, with a possibility of going into special education. Learn a little more about where Leia’s passion, grit, and motivation come from by reading an excerpt from her Janet L. Kuhn Scholarship essay:

part of the Saline County CEO program, playing softball, and still being an active leader in various extracurricular activities. I have also had to adapt to countless school atmospheres through all of the moves I’ve had to encounter throughout my schooling. But that hasn’t stopped me from seizing every opportunity I can. Between both of the high schools I have attended, I have acquired 27 1/2 credit hours of college and expect to enter college with 34 1/2 credit hours. I have managed to do this on top of my many other responsibilities. The path of least resistance isn’t always the path we’re able to take and that’s okay for me. Working hard is what is going to help me to achieve my goals of becoming a passionate and loving teacher.

Statistics show that children born to single, teenage mothers perform poorly in school and most commonly fall into the same curse of generational teen parenthood and poverty. I was not satisfied to sit back and be a statistic. I have worked hard to be a good student, athlete, and employee. I am currently ranked number 1 in my class with a perfect 5.0 GPA; I’m a starter on my high school softball team; and I hold two, part time jobs, one at a fast-food restaurant and one with a local CPA and attorney. I am also involved in the Saline County CEO program for young entrepreneurs. I have been saving for my future since I began working. Unfortunately, paying for my own necessities, including my car, insurance, cell phone, food, etc. has made saving difficult. But I have never looked at hard work as a burden, but as a chance to better myself.

If I am going to be a statistic, I will be the anomaly.

reaching leadership positions with KFCC in Operations, Restaurant Excellence, and Training. Throughout her career, Janet remained passionate about helping restaurant teams.

She served on the KFC Foundation Board of Directors for eight years. She cared deeply about restaurant employees, her co-workers and KFC’s customers. She was always willing to go out of her way to help someone.

The Janet L. Kuhn Scholarship provides an opportunity for one REACH Grant recipient per year to DOUBLE their grant money. That means the Janet L. Kuhn Scholarship winner would receive between $4,000 to $6,000 total, including their REACH Grant award!

To be considered for this award, applicants must complete an additional essay during the REACH Grant application process. n

The Hard Way It is comparatively easy to prosper by trickery, the violation of confidence, oppression of the weak … sharp practices, cutting corners — all of those methods that we are so prone to palliate and do as “business shrewdness.”

It is difficult to prosper by the keeping of promises, the deliverance of value in goods, in services and in deeds — and in the meeting of so-called “shrewdness” with sound merit and good ethics.

The easy way is efficacious and speedy — the hard way arduous and long. But, as the clock ticks, the easy way becomes harder and the hard way becomes easier.

And as the calendar records the years, it becomes increasingly evident that the easy way rests haphazardly upon shifting sands, whereas the hard way builds solidly a foundation of confidence that cannot be swept away.

Thus We Builded

®

*Dictionary: Present participle and verbal noun. To fashion or frame according to a systematic plan or by a definite process, to create, to BUILD reputation.

Reprinted by permission of Colonel Sanders, November 1964.

Copyrighted by Harland Sanders, 1973.

RSCS MEMBER PROGRAMS

ARE YOU TAKING ADVANTAGE OF MEMBER PROGRAMS?

By Tara Morrison

A

t Restaurant Supply Chain Solutions our goal is to provide value to our members.

Member Programs provides value to our franchisee partners by offering discounts on products and services used to run your business. You may have heard about our Waste Services program, which could save you up to $1,000 a month, but Member Programs has many additional programs that can help you save money on products and services you may already use today. We have negotiated discounted rates for the following: • Cleaning services • Cell phone plans • Security systems • Fire suppression • Office supplies • Oil management • Shipping services • Pest control • Pre-fabricated building services • Slip resistant shoes and more!

Our entire list of programs can be found on our Digital Directory page located at the following link:

https://apps.rscs.com/MemberPrograms/Login. aspx. The Directory is where you can find detailed information on each of the programs we offer, the discounts available, as well as directions on how to sign up and who to contact for more information.

The Directory also is where you can sign up to receive our monthly email newsletters. The Member Programs e-newsletters highlight various vendor offers that are a part of Member Programs. Also included in the e-newsletter is valuable Employee Perks information. Employee Perks is a free benefit for all our members and their employees that offers discounts on products and services from a multitude of retailers you may already be using today. We have discounts on cell phone plans, movie tickets, electronics, and more! The e-newsletter has printable flyers that you can download and distribute to your employees, letting them know how to sign up for their free Employee Perks discounts. Our goal is to provide the most value to our operators with these programs and we appreciate your feedback. If there is a product or service that you think would be a great addition to Member Programs, please email us at memberprograms@rscs.com.

Member Program Spotlight: Automated Oil Management with Restaurant Technologies Through our program with Restaurant Technologies, operators can serve great-tasting food more consistently, with less waste, in a safer, cleaner, more productive environment. Sixty percent of Workers’ Compensation claims in kitchens are related to cooking oil, whether through burns, slips and falls, or soft tissue injuries from handling heavy jugs and waste shuttles. Restaurant Technologies oil management program eliminates the risks involved with manually changing out fryer oil. There are no upfront capital costs and no unexpected service charges. Restaurant Technologies offers a closed loop, fully automated system for managing new and used frying oil. Restaurant Technologies delivers and picks up oil via a lockable outdoor box while also using web-based man-

46 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

agement reporting so that oil usage is always being monitored. Another benefit to using the automated oil management service is their dedicated staff. Once a system is installed, full training is provided for you and your team and also available for additional training if needed due to turnover or new equipment. Without having to worry about fryer oil, you can get back to what matters most, Finger Lickin’ Good Chicken that Colonel Sanders would be proud of. You can find more information on how to get started with Restaurant Technologies on our Digital Directory.

Employee Perks: Help Employees Save On Nearly EVERYTHING! Make sure your employees are getting the most out of being a KFC Crew Member by utilizing Employee Perks. Our Employee Perks program offers discounts on products and services from a multitude of popular retailers that can help your team Save on Life! One of our most request-

ed discounts is on cell phone plans. We offer discounts at AT&T and Verizon. You and your employees could be saving up to 23 percent on your data plans just by being a KFC employee!

We also offer discounts on movie tickets, oil changes, hotel, car rental, security systems, theme parks, electronics, and so much more.

To start saving, connect via www.rscs.hrdiscounts.com/GO (or scan the QR code) on your mobile or tablet device. Follow the steps to download the app, register for an account, and SAVE BIG! The new Employee Perks flyer is available on our website: Visit https://apps.rscs.com/MemberPrograms/Login.aspx. Click on “Employee Discounts” to access the NEW KFC flyer. n

Summer 2021 AKFCF Quarterly 47

KFC FOUNDATION

KENTUCKY FRIED WISHES Empowering your teams to give back to their communities

By Emma Horn, KFC Foundation Managing Director

O

ne thing we’ve learned over the last yearand-a-half is that KFC restaurant employees care deeply about the communities around them.

Almost daily, you can find a post on KFC Strong showing teams donating food or giving back in some way.

At the KFC Foundation, we want to help keep that spirit alive — and we’ve tweaked our Kentucky Fried Wishes program to do exactly that!

The goal of Kentucky Fried Wishes is to empower your restaurant teams to give back to

their favorite, local non-profit organization by nominating them to have a wish come true. The KFC Foundation will award up to 11 grants of up to $10,000 to organizations recommended by your teams.

It’s simple: Each restaurant can nominate a local 501(c)(3) organization for a Kentucky Fried Wish to fund a project on their wish list that also would provide an actionable volunteer opportunity for the restaurant team. We want each Kentucky Fried Wish to make a tangible impact on the local community and the people who live there.

For example, what if the school around the corner needs a new playground and the restaurant team wants to help fund and build it? Or what if a senior center where a beloved regular customer lives needs fresh landscaping? Or a nearby community center wants to create a library in their building? We’re looking for projects that make it easy for restaurant teams to volunteer with that organization.

This also will help strengthen relationships with difference-making organizations across your community, which is always time well spent!

How does it work?

1. Restaurant teams decide on a local non-profit organization to nominate for a Kentucky Fried Wish.

We want each Kentucky Fried Wish to make a tangible impact on the local community and the people who live there.

48 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

2. Restaurant appoints a Wish Captain from their team to lead the charge on contacting the organization, finding out a project they could use a $10,000 grant for, and completing the nomination form.

3. Wish Captain fills out a short nomination form between July 12 and July 23. The nomination form will be accessible via kfcfoundation.org.

4. KFC Foundation will email nominated organizations on July 27, prompting them to complete a grant application by August 10.

5. A committee will review and score the grant applications based on a rubric, and up to 11 non-profit organizations will be selected to receive a Kentucky Fried Wish! Winners will be announced on September 9, in honor of the Colonel’s birthday.

We encourage you to partner with your restaurant teams to help them choose a non-profit in their community that’s meaningful to them and complete their nomination form by the July 23 deadline.

We would not be able to grant 11 Wishes this year without the support of each of the Regional AKFCF Boards. Your generosity allowed the KFC Foundation to double the reach of Kentucky Fried Wishes this year! Our Board of Directors and staff extend a heartfelt thank you for your support.

FAQs What projects will be considered for funding?

A wide variety of projects could fit the parameters, but preference will be given to ideas that:

What are examples of potential Kentucky Fried Wishes projects?

The options are endless, but here are a few ideas: • Building a community garden with a women and family center.

• Beautifying common space at an addiction or recovery center.

• Stocking a mobile children’s library that travels from school to school.

• Purchasing coding and STEM equipment for an after-school program.

• Creating or improving a nearby hiking trail.

• Planting trees in a public park to allow for more shaded areas for children to play.

• Updating basketball courts or soccer fields at a community center.

We would not be able to grant 11 Wishes this year without the support of each of the Regional AKFCF Boards. Your generosity allowed the KFC Foundation to double the reach of Kentucky Fried Wishes this year!

• Include the opportunity for restaurant employees to participate in a volunteer project related to the grant application.

• Building a new playground at a local elementary school or community park.

• Make a significant impact on the community in which the restaurant is located.

• Stocking and organizing supplies at a food pantry.

• Inspire a sense of community by uniting people around a common project.

What is the timeline for all of this?

July 12 – July 23: Restaurant teams go to kfcfoundation.org to nominate a local non-profit for Kentucky Fried Wishes.

• Support underserved neighbors in the community.

• Present a realistic and achievable plan to accomplish the project within a six-month timeframe.

• Are feasible to accomplish with the $10,000 grant OR are supported with matching resources (including donated goods, services, money, or volunteer time) to ensure that the project is attainable.

July 27 – August 10: Nominated non-profits complete grant application.

September 9: Kentucky Fried Wishes announced.

n

Summer 2021 AKFCF Quarterly 49

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

MENTORING FUTURE LEADERS

By Jim McKenzie

T

he Leadership Development program has gone through a small overhaul. While the focus of developing and mentoring future AKFCF EC and Regional leaders has not changed, some of the tools and programs we utilize have. There are improved processes, guidelines, and structure to the program.

The Leadership Development program has two, separate components: educating and training Regional 1st VPs; and identifying, training, and mentoring AKFCF EC candidates. Most of overhaul work has come under the leadership of Keith Cole, our current 1st VP of the AKFCF.

from these regional leaders. Therefore, the development of this group serves both the regions and the AKFCF. Ten learning modules have been identified that will be presented and discussed throughout the year. Well-qualified presenters go through these modules with the Leadership Development Committee. Time for questions and clarification is always allowed at the conclusion of the presentations. To date, the modules covered have been: The history of the AKFCF (presented by Ron Gardner), the structure and workings of the NCAC (presented

by Cynthia Koplos), and the RSCS (presented by Justin Stewart and Brandon Robertson).

Regional 1st VPs All Regional 1st VPs are part of the Leadership Development program. Per our bylaws, the pool of qualified candidates for the AKFCF EC comes

AKFCF EC Candidates The continued success of our Association relies a great deal on identifying and developing future leaders of the AKFCF. The goal of the Leadership Development Committee is to always have a “bench” of qualified candidates who are capable, willing, and ready to serve. Each year, this committee will identify up to three candidates who meet outlined criteria to be considered for the AKFCF EC. These candidates will be presented to the Nominating Committee, who ultimately will make a nomination to the Board for approval. A specific improvement made to this process is the addition of a “shadow” to the 2nd VP. This year, Leslie Sharp is shadow to the AKFCF EC behind Justin Stewart, who is serving as our current 2nd VP. Another improvement to this process is the formal structure of a mentor/mentee relationship for the 2nd VP and the shadow. The AKFCF Immediate Past President will mentor the 2nd VP, and a Past President will mentor the shadow. So this year, I am mentoring Justin and Joan Bowling is mentoring Leslie.

The foundation of our Association rests on the shoulders of some great, past leaders. The willingness of our members to serve as leaders — and our commitment to develop them — will enable us to remain a great Association into the future! n

The continued success of our Association relies a great deal on identifying and developing future leaders of the AKFCF. The goal of the Leadership Development Committee is to always have a “bench” of qualified candidates who are capable, willing, and ready to serve.

50 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

PARTNERSHIP SURVEY COMMITTEE

ALL OF US NEED TO DO OUR PART

By Noah Hommerding

H

ello KFC Family and greetings from Minnesota. The ice is off the lakes, and pontoon rides and summer are just around the corner!

With the changes in Convention format to meet the needs of the crazy times we find ourselves in, I haven’t been able to share with you all an update from the 2020 Partnership Survey. I’ll do my best to summarize the highlights here for you now: Overall participation was on par with prior years, with 128 responses, or a 38-percent participation rate. I’ll ask again at the end, but please take time to complete the survey this fall. I also need to recognize and thank Kelly Rodenberg and Brandon Robertson, and those who work on our communications, for all the support they gave to getting the survey in front of you. Special thanks to all who completed the survey in 2020. I really appreciate you!

First, where has the brand partnership improved? The belief that we’ve made the RGM’s lives easier improved six points versus the prior year. KFCC Town Hall calls and their effectiveness at communicating specific business topics, best practices, recognition, and Q&A also improved with a four-point increase. Last, collectively the survey showed a three-point improvement in the confidence in KFC’s strategy to accelerate our business.

I found it encouraging to note that 63 percent of you intend to build a new KFC restaurant in the next two years; that’s exciting! Additionally, it is shown in the survey results that the new restaurant incentives are beneficial and important when deciding whether to build.

Eighty-seven percent of you agreed.

The survey also showed positivity around effective communication and support through the COVID-19 crisis, and you felt KFCC supported you well with tools and procedures to keep your teams safe and restaurants open. This was a new question for 2020, and 87 percent of you agreed.

Where are some of the areas that you feel need to be improved upon? The lowest-scoring items in the survey cover three, primary areas: First, though we have improved upon making an RGM’s life easier, it is still one of the lowest-rated questions on the survey. I personally feel this to be one of the top barriers to success we have and know there are projects in process to help. Both franchisee and KFCC leadership will need to continue to keep the RGM — and the roles we ask them to perform — top of mind for the remaoinder of 2021.

Second, in a new question on the survey this year, we asked how KFCC’s tools and resources enable you to effectively drive recruitment in your restaurant. Fifty-nine percent of you felt those resources to be on par, and thus 41 percent did not. We certainly all can feel the pres-

I found it encouraging to note that 63 percent of you intend to build a new KFC restaurant in the next two years; that’s exciting! sure in the employment pool at this time, and it’s blatantly clear in my eyes that recruitment and retention are going to make or break many restaurants. The brands that figure it out the best will grow. Those that don’t, won’t. We have so many shareworthy success stories in our brand, and I hope we start to talk about those in the public space. Additionally, you’ll note already there have been efforts to improve in this area. Currently on teamkfc.com, you can find BDP’s from operators around the country in recruitment and retention.

Last, there were some fairly significant declines in your responses around advertising satisfaction (-9 pts), Your KFC Voice employee engagement survey helps to drive culture (-5 pts), and the training provided by KFCC helps our teams achieve operational excellence (-5pts). It’ll be important that we work together this year to make progress in those areas.

I’ll close by asking for you to please watch your inbox in November, and ask you to please complete the survey. I certainly know how busy you all are, and that a survey can sometimes not be highly important to you. However, know that the leadership at KFCC works with us to make this survey meaningful, and they take the results to heart. I feel confident that it helps steer the brand’s direction, and there are many items the AKFCF uses from the survey as well. Afterall, it is about the partnership between franchisee and franchisor. All of us need to do our part. n

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Summer 2021 AKFCF Quarterly 51

REGIONAL SHORTS

NORTHWEST REGION: A NEW PHASE OF PANDEMIC CHALLENGES

By Shannon Prendiville

I

t has been nearly a year since I wrote about the pandemic and the challenges of operating our restaurants during this “new normal” of social distancing and masks. Through it all, the KFC brand has seen tremendous success delivering “comfort food to comfort the masses.” Through the pandemic landscape, and even with lobbies closed, we increased sales and customer counts. Our loyal customers utilized delivery aggregators such as DoorDash, and drive-thru traffic remained at high levels throughout the year. This is all great news for the KFC family.

Now, as local business restrictions ease in the Northwest, we are faced with other challenges. How do we staff our restaurants with less labor available? How do we deal with strains on the supply chain? It appears we are

in a new phase of pandemic challenges. As we move forward, we are hopeful that the buying habits and behaviors our customers developed over the last year will continue and remain their “new normal.”

However, we need to look at new technology to mitigate labor issues and further advance order-taking technology such as kiosks. In addition, we will have to navigate new climate policies that are sure to have an impact on our businesses. We strive to overcome these new challenges and others as we journey to the other side of the pandemic. Of course, the KFC family will continue to serve the Colonel’s Bucket, “From Kentucky with Love,” along the way.

The NWKFC Association fall 2021 meeting will be a virtual event this year in October; details are still being finalized.

Together with the Southern California KFC Association, we will be on the “Big Island” in Hawaii for fall 2022! Save the dates: Oct. 22-28, 2022. Please find updates to all our meetings and regional information on our website at www.nwkfc.com. n

SOCAL REGION: GETTING BACK TO NORMAL, STEP BY STEP

By Deborah Ossanlo

T

he Southern California Region has postponed its 2020 — and now 2021 — meetings due to the pandemic. However, we did join in the NW Virtual Fall Meeting in 2020 and enjoyed this informative event.

Some of our vendor partners also sponsored the event, and we greatly appreciate their support.

52 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

The SoCal Region is looking forward to an “in-person” Spring Manager’s Meeting in May of next year. We have missed speaking with our vendors and look forward to their exhibits. Our 2021 Fall Meeting in Hawaii with the NW Region was again postponed to October 2022. We’re getting back to a “new normal” step by step n

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UPDATE

MEETINGS ARE BACK

By Kelly Rodenberg

M

ore than a year after the COVID-19 ed meeting environment. They will just pandemic effectively shut down become a normal way of blending the two in-person meetings, the AKFCF safely going forward. Another factor that plays brought members of the board back together into the dual meeting environment is time. from May 27-28, 2021 at the Gaylord Palms Especially now with the labor crunch, time in Orlando. With many people vaccinated away from the restaurant is just not feasible. and mask mandates lifted, we felt it was time By holding hybrid options for members, to resume some normal activity. this allows them to choose the best way to And let me tell you, it was amazing to feel participate. those personal connections and unexpected In Orlando, we tested the Meeting Owl ideas that come from meeting face-to-face Pro technology for the first time. The and sharing a meal together. It’s often through Meeting Owl Pro is a premium 360-dean informal conversation that we can learn gree camera, mic, and speaker combined the most about each other and experience into one, easy-to-use device. It creates the intangibles, such as values, that are hard to see experience of in-person participation for through a Zoom screen. hybrid teams and integrates seamlessly with It has been demonstrated that facethe conferencing platforms you already use to-face meetings boost collaboration, such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams. I think creativity, and create positive business outcomes, all while building strong communities. Face-to-face meetings allow us to build powerful, personal connections and break down barriers through the ability to see facial expressions and detect other non-verbal cues that help to foster stronger, more trusting relationships.

However, we are living in a new world.

It’s time to adapt and shift our mindsets, develop new skills, and rethink how we make decisions to stay agile, connected, and human. I believe we will see a modification in our approach about what “meeting” really looks like and how it can be achieved. I think there will be a new openness about the development of digital skills and ultimately a more inclusive approach to the technologies we use for meetings.

In the future, I expect that for most of us, virtual meetings will move from something seen as a nice-to-have to an Meeting Owl Pro accepted, must-have part of a blend-

it worked well and this will probably be something we purchase for future AKFCF meetings.

In the coming months, we will be generating and creating both types of experiences. AKFCF and KFC’s RGM Connect in July will be the first-of-its-kind, virtual event for RGMs. And happily, the 2022 AKFCF Annual Convention will be a live conference in Orlando from March 7-10. Both events will provide a “shared” experience, creating connections that make a lasting impact.

I look forward to seeing and meeting you over this next year, whether face-to-face or virtually. Great things happen when people come together, because when we meet, we have the power to create new opportunities. n

Summer 2021 AKFCF Quarterly 53

LEGAL UPDATE

LET’S TALK ABOUT SUPPLY (OR THE LACK OF IT)!

By Ron Gardner

A

s the country awakens from its year-long slumber due to COVID-19, a lot of my time in the last 90 days or so has been spent working on strategies to deal with rising demand and decreasing supply of almost everything that is necessary for you to run your restaurants.

Our first glimmer of what was about to happen came in the first couple of weeks of March, as we began spending a significant amount of money promoting the new sandwich. As the daily demand grew, we quickly foresaw the potential that the demand for this great new product could quickly outstrip the supply of available chicken filets. As we made changes to keep momentum going, while potentially trying to temper demand, we quickly understood that the issue was much larger than filets. Due to a variety of factors, including primarily a shortage of labor in the chicken processing industry, we also were facing potential shortages of other meat blocks.

Working closely together, your NCAC franchisee leaders, in partnership with KFCC and the RSCS, had daily, and sometimes hourly, calls to plot our ways through the challenges that we were facing.

I am happy to report that I know of no restaurants that had to close because of chicken shortages, and, as of the time of this writing, we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and turn back on those switches that we use to drive chicken demand.

54 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

As you know, we ultimately deployed several strategies to keep supply and demand somewhat in balance, and to deal with the issues that we were facing. I am happy to report that I know of no restaurants that had to close because of chicken shortages, and, as of the time of this writing, we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and turn back on those switches that we use to drive chicken demand.

Before I go on, I want to send a shout-out to James Butler, the senior vice president, KFC Supply Chain. James joined the RSCS just weeks before the big surge in demand and decrease in supply occurred, and despite his newness in the position, was a steady hand on the tiller as we negotiated our way through the rough seas of the crisis moments. He did not flinch from the hard questions and provided us with as much helpful information as he could get his hands on, even as the situation was changing minute-by-minute.

His partnership is greatly appreciated.

Unfortunately, our supply challenges are not limited to chicken.

Yesterday, I attended a Contracts and Facilities Committee meeting in which the topic of yearend remodels was the focus. Before I go into the specifics of the supply issues, I want to remind those of you that are required to have your restaurants remodeled by the end of this year (or face default), that your plans should be in to the RSCS, and final orders need to be placed no later than Aug. 1, 2021, to avoid the potential that the project cannot be completed on time.

Part of the issue that folks are facing with respect to these year-end remodels is the backlog that exists with respect to certain pieces of equipment — particularly in the back of house. Long lead times, of 10 to 20 weeks, are not uncommon, and failure to get equipment orders in on time will mean that equipment will not be in stock before your remodel needs to be done. If you are in the middle of a remodel, are contemplating a

Exploding demand is a problem we should always want to deal with. Unfortunately, it frequently is accompanied by supply shortages and issues.

remodel, dealing with a rebuild, or are part of a planned new build, be in touch with the RSCS promptly to figure out how these delays at our vendors could affect your project.

All of this, of course, leads back to an issue that I know you are all acutely aware of — an enormous labor shortage in the United States.

The causes of this shortage are likely many: a reluctance of people to re-enter the workforce because of their fear of COVID; the rising cost of labor allowing formerly minimum-wage labor workers to transition to higher paying jobs; and the existence of enhanced unemployment benefits for those who simply do not want to return to the labor force yet. My guess is that it is some of all of these and more.

Of course, this hits your restaurants in two different ways. First, for those folks who are there, and those who are willing to apply and want employment, the cost of labor for you is increasing. Second, and more urgently at least at the moment, however, seems to be the almost universal problem of finding people who will apply and actually accept employment, no matter what the wage might be.

At the AKFCF level, we are doing several things to try and help ease your pain. First, and high on our list, has been our active participation through our GAC in urging Congress to end the extension of unemployment benefit bonuses. In the past several weeks, we have seen a greater willingness of lawmakers to consider this possibility. We also are seeing some movement at the state level as governors have begun to end the extension of these benefits, and, in

some states, paying bonuses to those who return to work and get off the unemployment rolls. Our thanks to Dan Gans and his team at Polaris for the work being done there, and to Ray Aley and the GAC for the focus that they have kept on this issue.

Additionally, at the most recent Technology Committee meeting, we talked about looking for ways to expand the reach of careers.kfc.com and/or the ability to connect restaurants and franchisees to applicants who come in through kfc.com. The work there has just begun, but we have heard you and are working quickly to see if there are some solutions that can help us to get more potential candidates in front of you so that you can continue to staff your restaurants appropriately.

Exploding demand is a problem we should always want to deal with. Unfortunately, it frequently is accompanied by supply shortages and issues. The best we can do is to deal with those as they come and anticipate additional places where those issues might arise to nip such problems in the bud. My message to you today is that your franchisee leadership at both the AKFCF and the NCAC, as well as our partners at KFCC and the RSCS, are working as hard and as fast as we can to make your job as easy as we possibly can in these trying times.

n This column is for the general information of members of the AKFCF and should not be relied upon as legal advice. Please see your own attorney or professional advisor for questions concerning your franchise agreement. Ronald K. Gardner is General Counsel of both the AKFCF and the NCAC.

Ad index 27

AT&T Business

15

Auspex Capital

43

Café Valley Bakery

16

Case Farms

39

Chart Industries

C3

Dr. Pepper Snapple Group

1

Ecolab Kay Chemical Company

51

FSV Payment Systems

37

Genpak

7

Gycor International

31

KFC Foundation

23

Koch Foods

C2 Magnesol 13

NDA, Inc.

5

Pacific Premier Franchise Corporation

33 Partstown 41

Paychex, Inc.

18 Paycor 3 PepsiCo 19 Pilgrim’s 17 8, 9 47

Procter & Gamble Distributing Restaurant Supply Chain Solutions

11 Welbilt C4

Winston Industries

Summer 2021 AKFCF Quarterly 55

Photo Courtesy of KFC Global

LOOKING BACK

56 AKFCF Quarterly Summer 2021

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CVap® Flip Door Holding Cabinets

Patent-pending magnetic hinges provide trouble-free operation.

CVap Holding Cabinets give you consistent food quality, day after day. Easily pack from the front or back, while keeping your fried chicken hot.

See-thru doors so you can check inventory at a glance.

Now available in countertop and stretch cabinet configurations.

Pass-thru for easy access.

Barry Yates, Yum! Guru bgyates@winstonind.com 502.643.1506

KFCFryers.com