KFC parent Yum Brands quietly launches new chicken restaurant
As KFC's dominance in the U.S. fast-food chicken market slips further, its parent company, Yum Brands, is testing a new concept restaurant with more premium items, AdAge first reported.
This week, Super Chix will launch in Arlington, Texas, with a limited menu including chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, fries, salads and custards.
In an email, Yum Spokeswoman Virginia Ferguson said the concept "is not being considered to go up against U.S. competitors" but rather for international purposes. Yum periodically has new concepts like this, the spokeswoman added.
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Interestingly, Super Chix's website does not mention that it is owned by Yum Brands although Super Chix's trademark application indicates that Yum is the owner.
Some of the new chain's offerings bear a striking resemblance to those of KFC rival Chick-fil-A and debut at a time when Chick-fil-A is widening its U.S. lead over KFC, which has shuttered hundreds of stores over the past few years, according to market research firm Technomic.
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In 2012, Chick-fil-A first snatched KFC's longtime title as the top chicken chain in the U.S. Last year, Chick-fil-A's U.S. sales were $5.05 billion compared with KFC's $4.22 billion, according to Technomic.