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A shortage of French fries at KFC allowed Kenyans to discover that the American fast food chain was importing its potatoes instead of sourcing from local producers.
With our correspondent in Nairobi, Albane Thirouard
The news broke earlier this week on Twitter: KFC runs out of fries in Kenya. The American fast food chain justified this shortage by the disruptions in global shipping linked to the coronavirus pandemic which are slowing its supply of potatoes. The Kenyans thus discovered that the fried chicken specialist was supplied abroad rather than from local producers. And this while Kenya produces more than 60 varieties of tubers and the harvest is superabundant.
KFC explains that its products must go through a global quality control process. But the argument did not convince Kenyans who, on Twitter, called en masse for a boycott of the American brand.
However, this does not prevent some from going there. ” I can see their point of view. They have strict requirements in terms of product traceability. And our systems in Kenya may not be the best at it, remarks Myriam Wangari, who collects her order from her car in a restaurant in Nairobi. So I understand why they have to buy their potatoes elsewhere. In fact, they can buy them wherever they want. Basically, I don’t care, it won’t stop me from coming! »
“Unacceptable”
An opinion that is not unanimous. Hussein Ahmed, he does not hide his annoyance: ” We have plenty of potatoes in the country and yet we are told there are no fries here. We have to wait for those imported. It’s ridiculous ! We should use our local potatoes, they have no problem. I was born here, I’m 70, Kenyan potatoes, I’ve eaten them all my life and haven’t died. »
In the parking lot, Malossi, has climbed even further. For this young Kenyan, local trade is a priority, even for foreign companies. ” As long as they haven’t solved the problem with the local producers, I will boycott them, he warns. They should support Kenyan farmers. But they don’t, they don’t buy their potatoes locally and that, to me, is unacceptable. »
Faced with criticism, KFC finally announced that it was seeking information on how to source French fries from Kenyan producers.
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