Kenya is suffering from a potatoes crisis in KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken). The fast-food chain of KFC suffered a shortage of potatoes in their outlets, and they have to offer an alternative to customers on the place of french fries.
According to the firm’s chief executive for East Africa “Jacques Theunissen,” the reason for the shortages of chips is because of the delay in the global services of potatoes.
Furthermore, the shipping lines are delayed because of the COVID-19 situation, and further, he said sips had been delayed for more than a month now, but we are working hard, and the first container of potatoes will arrive tomorrow.
KFC, which also operate a local franchise of Kuku Food East Africa, does not have a source to export potatoes locally or globally due to the quality standards.
Furthermore, the firm added that they could not use potatoes without testing. It can be harmful to citizens because approval is necessary to use potatoes in KFC.
“We cannot take supply from farmers to fill in the gap,” and the global QA process is needed for the further process. Still, we cannot use potatoes without testing, and it doesn’t matter if we run out because it’s necessary to ensure the safety of our customers.
KFC said that when French fries were not available, they gave the customer a swap option in which they could pick anything on the place of french fries. They provided a choice of items like chicken, buns, soda, coleslaw and ugali in their combo meals.
This comes when the potato has become the second most crucial crop after Maize, which is grown by 800,000 small-scale farmers and opening gates for unemployed people, and nearly 2.5 million people are unemployed. It is approximate that they are contributing 50 billion to the Kenyan economy.
International Potato Center (CIP) argued that if they improve in their potato production, it can boost the farm incomes.
KFC established their franchise in Kenya in 2011. The total number of outlets in East Africa is 35.
