KFC Canada announced today that they are exploring eco-friendly alternatives for their world-famous buckets. The sustainability commitment will have KFC testing new innovative materials that are both consumer-friendly and a win for the environment, starting with a bamboo fiber poutine bucket in early 2020.
“The KFC bucket is one of the most iconic symbols around the world and has always been synonymous with our world-famous chicken,” said Armando Carrillo, Innovation Manager, KFC Canada. “We’re proud of our sustainability journey and we want our customers to feel that KFC is dedicated to, not only providing Finger Lickin’ Good chicken in every bucket, but also delivering it in a way that our guests can feel good about.”
Although bamboo is a new innovation to packaging, it has been used throughout history for many applications, from food sources to building materials. Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants in the world, growing on average 24 inches per day and reaching its adult size in 3-5 years (compared to 20-30 years for trees). Often referred to as one of the world’s most renewable and fastest growing materials, bamboo is naturally anti-bacterial and 100 per cent biodegradable, requires no pesticides, and regenerates itself very quickly when harvested.
KFC Canada’s bamboo packaging initiative builds on the commitments already achieved by the brand in the sustainable packaging realm. Earlier this year, KFC Canada committed to sourcing 100 per cent of fiber-based packaging from certified or recycled sources by 2020. Additionally, as part of a global sustainability commitment by the brand, KFC Canada continues to pursue making all plastic-based, consumer-facing packaging recoverable or reusable by 2025, and announced in July that all plastic straws and bags would be removed from restaurants before the end of 2019. This action alone will eliminate more than 50 million plastic straws and 10 million plastic bags from the communities in which KFC Canada operates.
KFC fans will have the opportunity to test out the new bamboo fiber poutine bucket in select restaurants across Canada in 2020.
About KFC Canada
Founded by Colonel Harland Sanders in 1952, KFC is now the world’s most popular chain of chicken restaurants. To this day the Colonel’s own blend of 11 herbs and spices is still used to season our Original Recipe® chicken and it still remains a very closely guarded secret. KFC’s specialty is our famous Original Recipe® chicken, but we also feature a variety of freshly prepared sandwiches and wraps, on the go snack items, home-style sides, desserts and beverages.
Today KFC Corporation is a subsidiary of YUM! Brands Inc. and operates more than 23,000 restaurants in more than 140 countries and territories around the world including more than 600 locations right here in Canada. To learn more about KFC Canada, visit our website www.kfc.ca