Yum Brands innovative new product pipeline preforms.

After floundering in the domestic U. S. market and in a quagmire created by looking “east” only Yum Brands is back.  Understanding the need to re-establish contemporized consumer relevance in the U.S. Yum has focused on technology, innovative new food, and messaging.

1.       KFC is testing self-serve touch screens terminals.  These “self-serve” kiosks are aimed at enhancing customer in-store experience.  Recipes for potato pancakes and upside-down peach cobbler can be found on the KFC website.

2.       Pizza Hut unveiled “Pasta Masti” 11 new pasta dishes including Arrabbiata Penne, Creamy Tomato Penne and signature Pizza Hut Chicken Bonantza Lasagna all for the India market.

3.       KFC introduced Original Recipe Bites; they are as self-described bite-sizes.

4.       Pizza Hut has introduced new garlic bread pizza, Signature Single pizza thin crust pizza with bold flavors and priced at only $5.00 (Quattro Formaggio, BBQ Chicken, White Pizza with Garlic Shrimp and Heat Lover’s)

5.       Taco Bells is expanding its menu from simply Fast Food to “Cantina Bell” will 8 different new ingredients including whole black beans, cilantro rice, fire-roasted corn salsa to name a few.

6.        All of this was on top of the success of Taco Bell’s Doritos Locos Tacos.

Yum brands excels as supporting each program with a solid integrated marketing including national advertising, LSM and digital placement.  Contemporized consumer relevance is difficult to maintain over time for legacy companies.  In many times legacy retail food chains practice brand protectionism in an order to maintain an identity. When the identity is no longer relevant to the consumer dramatic changes need to be made.  Yum is making consumer relevant adjustments.

Interactive and participatory Yum’s new products all leverage Foodservice Solutions® 5 P’s of food marketing: Product, Packaging, Placement, Portability and Price.   If success leaves clues Yum’s current actions are clues to success.

Steven Johnson is Grocerant Guru at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions, with extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert and public speaking. Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant or twitter.com/grocerant