Are there still KFC franchises available in South Africa?
KFC franchise opportunities are very difficult to come by. During 2009, KFC issued a statement stating that they would be developing their own employees to buy new franchises, which means that for the near future, it won’t be easy to buy a KFC franchise. There are some existing KFC franchises that are up for sale. It would be best to contact KFC head office directly.
“KFC, Woolworths and Pick’n Pay are offering their own employees an opportunity to qualify for their development programmes. If they complete the programme according to stringent requirements, they would then qualify to buy a franchise,” explains Vera Valasis, Executive Director, Franchise Association of South Africa.“It is better to start off with a small franchise and build yourself up as a franchisee. Franchises such as KFC, Woolworths and Pick ‘n Pay are very expensive to buy,” says Valasis.
Why is so difficult to obtain a franchise with the well known brands like KFC?
This is a simple case of supply and demand. The franchisors of established, successful franchise brands (such as KFC and Wimpy) have a waiting list of applicants interested in becoming franchisees, so they can afford to be selective.
The other factors stacked against applicants are that such franchisors favour existing franchisees: New opportunities that arise are offered internally before new incumbents are introduced. You will often find that successful KFC franchisees own a string of outlets. Individuals who have prior experience as franchisees, or experience in the sector in which the franchise operates