Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has gone through a number of branding changes since inception of it’s first franchise in 1952. However the one thing that has maintained consistency through the years is Colonel Harland Sander’s secret recipe. He formulated the recipe in 1940. The recipe lays out the exact mixture of eleven herbs and spices that is used to coat KFC’s Original Recipe chicken. It is written in pencil on a yellowed piece of paper and bears the signature of Harland Sanders.

The recipe has maintained top secret status in the company and only two top executives (KFC won’t release their names or titles) have access to the recipe at any given time. The security and safety measures of keeping the original recipe intact and out of harms way has been paramount. The ingredients are produced and blended by multiple suppliers and each organization only knows a part of the entire contents.

The recipe has been in an undisclosed location for the past 5 months while the vault that housed the holy grail of chicken recipes was upgraded to included the latest and greatest technologies. The recipe was recently returned to KFC’s headquarters in a lockbox handcuffed to the wrist of a security consultant.  Once the recipe was placed in the new electronic vault and the door shut, the president of KFC, Roger Eaton,  gave a sigh of relief and stated “mission accomplished.” Eaton stated that the process was nerve wracking and that he did not want to be known as the president who lost the recipe.

As for the security of the new vault that is protecting the priceless recipe… The vault is now secured by motion detectors and surveillance cameras that allow a guard to monitor the status of the vault at all times.  Thick concrete blocks encapsulate the vault and a backup generator is wired in to keep the security system powered at all times. Given all the measures that have been taken, it surely appears that the Colonel’s secret recipe will indeed remain just that.. a secret!

Company Facts:

• KFC had 15,580 locations worldwide at the end of 2008, including 5,253 in the U.S.
• The franchise is hoping to combat sluggish sales by rolling out a new value meal and grilled chicken product in early April.
• KFC is owned by YUM! Brands. In addition to KFC, the company also owns A&W All-American Food, Taco Bell, Long John Silver, and Pizza Hut.