KFC supply

KFC is still feeling the effects of the availability crisis that struck six weeks ago.

Some restaurants this week remained closed, while others were operating from a limited menu.

A KFC spokesman said “disruption to some restaurants is unfortunately continuing”. He added: “We’re aiming to be back to normal soon.”

However, the business was “through the worst of it and almost all our restaurants across the country are now open”, the spokesman stressed, though he admitted “a significant number are still serving a limited menu”. The exact menu varied from branch to branch, he added.

KFC’s restaurants suffered a severe chicken shortage, resulting in widespread temporary closures, following the transfer of its supply contract from Bidvest Logistics to DHL and QSL Logistics on 14 February.

KFC has since reinstated Bidvest to service up to 350 outlets in the north of the UK, and its old supply partner resumed deliveries this week to 266 of the restaurants.

The spokesman added the transfer of restaurants back to Bidvest was going well. “It’s being rolled out in a phased transition from their Royton depot.”

DHL and QSL would continue to serve the remaining restaurants.

Bidvest said: “We are pleased to confirm that Bidvest Logistics has started to resume supply to 266 KFC restaurants in the north of the UK and that the transition back into the Bidvest Logistics network has been seamless.”

It added: “We are commencing the rollout with restaurants that were previously directly serviced from our Royton depot. KFC has asked for us to support a limited menu initially in a phased rollout. We are focused on seamlessly resuming supply to the northern KFC restaurants. We can’t comment on KFC’s wider network.”