The Inspiring Story of KFC & Its Founder, Colonel Sanders

The present-day fast food industry is the confluence of companies that sprung up during the mid-90s and 2000s. Multinational companies like Pizza Hut and Burger King are popular around the globe, but KFC enjoys a following of its own.

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is the second-largest food chain with presence over 25,000 restaurants across 145 countries.

The recipe that made KFC marketable and sought-after was a pressure-fried chicken blended with Sander’s 11 spices and recipes. With over 2.83 billion USD in revenue in 2022, Colonel Sanders gifted a delectable delight to chicken lovers through KFC.

Colonel Harland David Sanders - Biography

David Sanders - Founder's Story
David Sanders - Family
KFC’s Rapid Expansion
David Sanders - Face of KFC
David Sanders - Life Beyond KFC
David Sanders - Final Years
David Sanders - Charity And Philanthropy
David Sanders - An Inspiration

David Sanders - Founder's Story

Colonel Sanders, the founder of KFC and owner of an iconic life story, will be remembered as one of the greatest businessmen and entrepreneurs to have existed.

The logo and icon of the mega-brand, Colonel Sanders, and KFC owner, had multiple occupations under his belt. He was a filling station operator, insurance salesman, and steam engine stoker before selling chicken from his roadside restaurant during the Great Depression. He sold chicken pieces that were blended with a secret recipe prepared by him. Every successful entrepreneur identifies an object or idea as a manifestation of their thoughts to change the world; Colonel found him in chicken.

He was paid $0.04 for a single piece of chicken. When his North Cabin restaurant had to be shut down, he was left only with some savings and $105 from Social Security. In dire need, he began to franchise his chicken concept and traveled across the United States in search of restaurants. Talent can not be left unrecognized, as with Harland David Sanders. The tables were turned, and restaurant owners began visiting Sanders as they were mesmerized by his recipe. After recognizing the potential in his recipe, he set up the first KFC restaurant in South Salt Lake, Utah, in 1952. After his North Cabin restaurant debacle, he devoted his time to building and uplifting the KFC brand.

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David Sanders - Family

Colonel Sanders faced many challenges in his family life. In 1908, he tied the knot with Josephine King, and together they had three children: Margaret, Harland Jr., and Mildred. Unfortunately, Sanders struggled to keep a steady job, leading to difficulties at home. The stress became so much that Josephine temporarily left him, taking the children with her. Eventually, the couple divorced in 1947.

Tragedy struck the family again when Harland Jr. passed away at the young age of 20 due to complications from a seemingly routine tonsillectomy. This unexpected loss deeply affected Sanders and contributed to a period of depression in his adult life.

In 1949, Colonel Sanders found companionship again by marrying Claudia Leddington, and they remained together until he died in 1980. Despite the challenges and sorrows in his personal life, Sanders continued to build his legacy through KFC, leaving a lasting impact on the fast-food world.

KFC’s Rapid Expansion

Regarding popular food chains, customers tend to frequent a restaurants with quality food. Quality is a major differentiator among restaurants. KFC’s finger-licking menu enabled it to expand rapidly through the United States. When Colonel Sanders was 74 years old, he had a successful company with many people working for him, making him a good amount of money. But then, a young lawyer named John Y. Brown, Jr., and his rich friend Jack Massey wanted Colonel Sanders to sell his company.

At first, the KFC founder, Colonel Sanders, said, "No way!" But John and Jack kept trying to convince him. They told him he should stop working and enjoy his life. They promised not to change the special recipe for his famous chicken. Even though KFC was like his own baby, Colonel Sanders wasn't sure about selling. They traveled around, talking to his family and friends.

Finally, in 1964, Colonel Sanders agreed to sell for $2 million. That's a lot of money! He got $50,000 right away, the company's stuff in Canada, and he'd get $40,000 yearly for the rest of his life. But, by doing this, he had to give up the most important thing in his life—his company. And we don't know if he was really happy with that decision.

David Sanders - Face of KFC

Sanders remained the face of KFC even after selling it. He traveled over 200,000 miles every year to promote KFC around the world. Sanders’s image was meant to demonstrate his determination and persistence and encourage customers to assimilate the same. He often visited KFC restaurants and used to taste the gravy. Sanders used to proclaim that his self-made gravy was so good that one would throw away the damn chicken and eat the gravy. ‘God-damned slop’ was his phrase whenever he disliked KFC’s gravy at a franchise. The Colonel was a perfectionist and could not withstand compromises in quality. In 1939, Colonel Sanders came up with a new way to cook chicken using a pressure cooker. This method made the chicken less greasy while keeping its flavor, moisture, and texture intact, and it cooked faster. This invention helped his restaurant do really well for more than ten years.

In 1973, he stood up against the dip in the quality of food and sued the parent company, Hueblein Inc., which owned the KFC brand and sold items he had never developed. Hueblein Inc. filed an unsuccessful lawsuit against Sanders for he labeled the gravy ‘wall-paper.’

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David Sanders - Life Beyond KFC

Disappointed by the way KFC was being managed, Colonel and his wife reopened their restaurant and started serving the original KFC-styled chicken. They named the restaurant Claudia Sanders, The Colonel’s Lady. Unfortunately, the couple was sued by the owners of KFC. After reaching a settlement, he sold the restaurant, which continues to operate even today. It is the only restaurant that serves chicken prepared from the recipe used by KFC.

Colonel Sanders has been posthumously a part of various television commercials. His appearances in DC comics and WWE commercials pay homage to his legacy.

David Sanders - Final Years

Even though Colonel Sanders had some problems with KFC, he kept working for the company until he passed away. His grandson, Trigg Adams, said that for Colonel Sanders, life was all about work. He had been working for almost 80 years and didn't want to stop. He continued traveling around the country for KFC, and for the last 20 years, he always wore his famous white suit in public.

As he got older, he became religious and sometimes appeared on Christian TV shows. Colonel Sanders was generous, giving much of his money to charities like the Salvation Army. Sadly, on December 16th, 1980, Colonel Sanders died at 90 years old from leukemia. People paid their respects to him at the Kentucky State Capitol, and he was buried in Louisville, Kentucky.

After Colonel Sanders passed away, KFC became hugely successful. It became one of the top fast-food brands in the US, opened thousands of restaurants worldwide, and made a lot of money. But, to reach this success, they kind of changed the image of Colonel Sanders.

Instead of being a respected figure, he became more like a cartoon used for advertising. At one point, he even became a cartoon character, dancing and playing basketball. The company, which used to be called Kentucky Fried Chicken, changed its name to just KFC. They also tried to distance themselves from the Southern style that Colonel Sanders was known for. His family doesn't have anything to do with the company now. Recently, KFC has tried to show more respect for Colonel Sanders, but it's tough to say what he would think of the company today. He was a man who believed in hard work, had his own dignity, and didn't trust big companies.

David Sanders - Charity And Philanthropy

Before Colonel Sanders passed away, he used his money to start a charity in Canada called the Colonel Harland Sanders Charitable Organization. This charity helped hospitals that care for women and children. One part of Mississauga Hospital was named after him because of his big donation. Sanders's charity also gave a lot of money to other children's hospitals in Canada.

David Sanders - An Inspiration

Even after being fired from legal jobs and facing multiple setbacks, Colonel Sanders always learned from his mistakes and grew as an entrepreneur. He had to take up various occupations in order to sustain a livelihood. Starting from insurance salesman to filling up gas stations, Sanders had done it all. After surviving the Great Depression, he founded a food chain that is an inseparable part of our daily life. The KFC is now part of every country’s food chain. Customer satisfaction is what drove Sanders to criticize KFC. He was named a Kentucky Colonel twice by two different governors of the state. After nearly three decades of his death, his image still finds a place on the posters and magazines. He is, without any doubt, one of the best entrepreneurs who thrived for perfection in his products.

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David Sanders - Conclusion

Colonel Harland Sanders has become a known figure for Kentucky Fried Chicken. Colonel Sanders was rejected 1009 times before succeeding. It takes courage and hard work to not give up and keep striving for success. Colonel Sanders is the best example who has shown us to keep working for our dreams without giving up. He is admired by many people who are pursuing their dreams and working hard in their respective careers. His hard work and perseverance have made KFC the world's most-loved fried chicken franchise.

FAQs

Who is the founder of KFC?

The founder of KFC is Colonel Harland Sanders.

What is the full form of KFC?

KFC's full form is 'Kentucky Fried Chicken.'

Which country's brand is KFC?

KFC is an American brand that originated in Corbin, Kentucky, USA.

How old was Colonel Sanders when he founded KFC?

In 1952, at the age of 65, when most people were looking at slowing down and retiring, Harland David Sanders began Kentucky Fried Chicken.

How rich is KFC's owner?

Dropped out of school at age 12. Died with an estimated net worth of 3.5 million dollars. Opened his first KFC franchise at the age of 64. His company, Kentucky Fried Chicken, has an estimated net worth of 15 billion dollars as of 2013.

How many times did KFC fail?

KFC founder Colonel Sanders was rejected 1009 times before finding a taker for his chicken recipe.

Who bought KFC from Colonel Sanders?

Brown Jr. and Jack Massey bought Kentucky Fried Chicken from Col. Harland Sanders for $2 million. In 1971, Brown sold KFC to Heublein for $285 million. In 1986, PepsiCo acquired Heublein and became the owner of KFC. In 1997, PepsiCo spun off its restaurant chains into a separate company named Tricon Global Restaurants, later renamed Yum! Brands. Since then, KFC has been a subsidiary of Yum! Brands.