KFC Invigorating the Grocerant Niche with $5 Bowls Featuring Nashville Hot Favorites

 

In a move that rekindles its innovative roots in the Ready-2-Eat fresh prepared food sector, KFC has announced a fresh new lineup of $5 flavor-packed bowls, that according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Once a trailblazer in the grocerant space, KFC redefined how consumers approached convenient meal solutions with its iconic bucket of chicken—and later, the Famous Bowl. Now, they aim to reignite their position as an industry leader by offering five bold and hearty bowls, each combining their signature flavors and consumer value for just $5.

This initiative brings the anticipated return of their crowd-pleasing Nashville Hot Sauce and introduces inventive new dishes that are sure to capture the imagination of on-the-go diners looking for convenience without compromise. Here's what’s on the menu:

·         NEW Nashville Hot Loaded Fries Bowl – A flavor-packed combination of crispy fries, coleslaw, pickles, and five Original Recipe® Nuggets drizzled with Nashville Hot Sauce, offering an unexpected explosion of taste.

·         Nashville Hot Mac & Cheese Bowl – A tantalizing twist blending creamy mac & cheese, a three-cheese medley, five Original Recipe® Nuggets, and a kick of Nashville Hot Sauce.

·         Nashville Hot Famous Bowl – Layers of comfort, including mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, a three-cheese blend, five Original Recipe® Nuggets, and their signature spicy sauce.

·         Mac & Cheese Bowl – An iconic favorite featuring creamy mac & cheese topped with five Original Recipe® Nuggets and melted three-cheese blend.

·         Famous Bowl – A long-standing KFC hallmark, delivering the perfect mix of mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, three-cheese blend, and nuggets.

The Historical Trail of KFC’s Grocerant Success

In the 1960s and ’70s, KFC not only brought fried chicken to the masses but also pioneered the idea of restaurant-branded Ready-2-Eat meals. Families found comfort in the convenience of bringing a bucket of chicken—a complete meal—home, bypassing the need for preparation or cleanup. The Famous Bowl, introduced in the mid-2000s, signified a bold step in appealing to the grocerant mindset: bundling comfort, quality, and convenience in a single dish. It resonated with busy customers seeking fresh, satisfying, and accessible meal solutions.

However, as competition stiffened, KFC’s focus on consumer-driven innovation waned, allowing competitors to step into the grocerant niche with Ready-2-Eat and Heat-n-Eat solutions that captured market share. This new bowl lineup, priced to attract today’s price-sensitive customer, signals KFC’s intention to reclaim its rightful place in the fresh prepared food market.

A Consumer-First Focus: The Key to Regaining Industry Leadership

KFC’s $5 bowls illustrate a commitment to delivering value-packed meal solutions that resonate with today’s consumer. With 61% of consumers deciding what to have for dinner at 4 PM or later, KFC’s fresh, hearty, and portable offerings meet a critical need for quick decision-making. By reviving Nashville Hot Sauce—a proven fan favorite—and debuting flavor-forward innovations like Korean BBQ bowls, KFC is blending nostalgia with novelty to engage new and returning customers alike.

The Path Forward: KFC’s Chance to Reclaim the Grocerant Throne

The road to resurgence lies in staying laser-focused on the consumer. By consistently introducing high-quality Ready-2-Eat options that highlight their core strengths—bold flavors, comforting ingredients, and convenience—KFC has the opportunity to regain the innovative edge it once held. As grocerants continue to evolve to meet the demands of busy, flavor-driven diners, KFC’s proactive reinvention of its offerings exemplifies how legacy brands can remain relevant in a highly competitive market.

For those seeking a hearty, flavorful solution to their post-holiday cravings, KFC’s $5 bowls are available nationwide through KFC.com and the KFC app. With every bowl, KFC takes a step closer to reestablishing itself as the undisputed leader in the grocerant niche.

Will KFC fully reclaim its crown? If they keep listening to their customers and adapting to evolving tastes, there’s every reason to believe they will.

For international corporate presentations, regional chain presentations, educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions.  His extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert, and public speaking will leave success clues for all. For more information visit GrocerantGuru.com, FoodserviceSolutions.US or call 1-253-759-7869

Church’s Chicken Customer Relevance Get With-It

 

Maintaining customer relevance is not as easy as it seems at most chain restaurants.  Yes, there are cost involved and there is always someone saying no that cost too much.  So, according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® there are many times chain restaurants go from falling a ’little’ behind to a ‘lot’ behind.  Consumers are dynamic brands must be as well.

Here is a story two years in the making; nearly two years since Church’s Chicken first embarked on a digital transformation focused on reaching new guests with digital media and creating loyalty with engaging experiences at every interaction, all in order to garner incremental customer relevance,

So, guess what? Since they began down the digital path, digital has been a key driver of the brand’s positive sales and growth, with 2020 turning in impressive results from this key focus area. Church’s Chicken saw a 540 percent increase in Order Ahead sales in 2020 compared to the previous year, third-party delivery sales increased by 77 percent in the same period, and web digital conversion rate reached 16 percent.  Johnson say’s strategy focused on customer relevant touchpoints wins.

Alan Magee, Vice President of Digital Marketing & Technology for Church’s stated, “The digital success we are seeing now is because of plans and initiatives first put in place in 2019,” … “The industry has been shifting to a digital-first approach over time and the pandemic has only accelerated this consumer behavior. Church’s digital transformation allowed us to pivot quickly in response to COVID-19 and we even ended the year with six months of consecutive positive sales as a result. Our investment in building both integrated and consumer focused digital platforms continues to allow us to thrive as a brand”

So, at the end of 2020 marked the completion of multiple initiatives all aimed at sales growth, market presence, and operational efficiencies. Let’s take a look at the Highlights:

Relaunch of Churchs.com with a focus on mobile optimization

Nearly 85 percent of guests engage with the brand on a mobile device. A new website, channel strategy, and mobile welcomer (location finder) were rolled out to help guests go from first impression to desired action within three clicks.

Since launching the mobile welcomer, conversion increased 27 percent among mobile users

There has been a 295 percent positive growth in digital restaurant engagements 

CRM Platform Relaunch:

In addition to the revamped web experience, Church’s also made dramatic enhancements to its new mobile app, email platform, and launched a new customer database in order to create more personalized and dynamic communications.

Active loyalty engagement increased by 40 percent in 2020

Expanded Social Media Presence

A new social media playbook, with a focus on community engagement with loyal fans, micro-influencers, and in-market engagement campaigns broadened Church’s footprint across the social media landscape.

Fan engagement grew 63 percent year-over-year between 2019 and 2020

Impressions were up 146 percent from 2019

Church’s successfully executed three engagement campaigns – Drive Thru Graduation, Camp Smokehouse Backyard Giveaways and, most recently, the Church’s Chicken Sandwich Truck

Expansion of E-commerce (Church’s To Go)

Church’s added Google Ordering and Curbside Pick-up to its existing Order Ahead and Drive-Thru options.

Third-party delivery expanded to a total of eight brand partners live in nearly 90% of domestic locations, offering additional reach and faster speed of service

Together, these efforts produced an 87 percent increase in off premise revenue year over year.

One of the significant points within the transformation was the Church’s mobile app. Magee and the digital team performed an end-to-end overhaul to include more robust functionality. Guests can now make contact-free pick up orders, access exclusive app-only promotions, and save favorites for easy re-ordering. Because of this, Church’s saw an uptick in adoption among GenZ and Millennial audiences, particularly following the launch of the new Church’s Chicken Sandwich.

“Most importantly, we translated our increased digital position into sales,” adds Magee. “That is a critical benchmark for us as the digital space becomes more crowded and competitive. We’re out to grow our customer base in ways that drive traffic and create loyalty, because it’s ultimately the experience of Church’s quality food and authentic hospitality that makes people Church’s fans for life.”

Consumers are dynamic brands must be as well. Do you have strategy focused that is focused on customer relevant touchpoints of today or yesterday? Are you looking a customer ahead?

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a Grocerant ScoreCard, or for product positioning or placement assistance, or call our Grocerant Guru®.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869

Church’s Chicken’s One Step Back Focuses on Two Steps Forward

We have all hear the old adage ‘What Goes Around Comes Around’.  While the foodservice business seems to be evolving with technology, the food, the customers still want the same things. According to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® when you look at the food industry from the ‘high-level’, “the core of consumers needs and wants remain constant.”

Consider this back in the day (1952) when Church’s Chicken was founded it was called: Church’s Fried Chicken To Go.  Yes, Church’s Chicken was built on the idea of convenience and accessibility for quality, value, and Texas-inspired flavor, which has become an even more pronounced focus for the brand today. Sounds a lot like the grocerant niche today don’t you think.  So, do did the food industry change much? No.

However, over time consumer preference, priorities, and provisions demands evolve to satisfy the need-set of the day according to Johnson.  With a renewal heightened visibility due to COVID-19 significantly shifting consumer habits fast that we can look back and forward with increasing focus to understand the demand for off-premise dining, is at our core.

Now, Church’s is reconnecting with its to-go roots by offering a signature carrier option for guests to grab and go. Church’s new “Go Box” provides a complete transport method when dining away from a restaurant, for guests to indulge wherever and with whomever they please.

Brian Gies, Chief Marketing Officer for the brand stated “With the changes that have occurred this year, our guests have told us that they want to bring their favorite meals to share with more than one or two people…whoever their chosen families happen to be,” says. “The social shift has changed our dining experiences, and the new ’Go Box’ makes it easier to come together any time of day, any day of the week.

Not only are our larger serving sizes and prices relevant for these shifting consumer needs, but our new ‘Go Box’ makes it easier for large meals to be taken home, or delivered right to your door for really any occasion.”

So, Church’s rolled out completely re-vamped menu boards across the country in July that promote a new ‘Family Values’ menu line-up, featuring a variety of abundant meals that feed 6 or more with choice of mixed chicken, legs and thighs or tenders, plus a choice of homestyle sides and of course the brand’s signature Honey-Butter Biscuits.

For a limited time, the “Go Box” offers a nod to the brand’s ‘Fried Chicken To Go’ heritage, dating back to 1952. The first “Go Boxes” will feature the retro Church’s character – Churchie. Guests can order their “Go Box” Family Values meals dine-in (according to local guidelines), at drive-thru, take-out, and delivery through a local third-party delivery service, or from the brand's online order-ahead service.

Gies continued “Being able to still safely come together matters a lot these days – we can provide a solution for that to make it easier,” “Church’s new ‘Go Box’ means you can enjoy time with the people that matter most to you while having all of your down home favorites right at your fingertips.”

What’s at your brand core you have over looked? Looking for success clues of your own? Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced food marketing and business development ideations. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities, technology, or a new menu product segment.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

Church’s Chicken Family Meals and Free Food

Trapped at home, tight on cash, and tired of cooking, During the COVID-19 pandemic? You are not alone.  However, Church’s Chicken has a deal for you that Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® says is an example of a brand that understands the customers pain points and wants to help.

Church’s Chicken announced it will be adding some significant free extras to all family meal purchases at company owned restaurants, starting Monday, May 4. Yes, free for a limited time, four free Hand-held Chicken Pot Pies will be included with every Church’s family meal purchase. This portable take on classic chicken pot pie brings together all-white-meat chicken and a mix of vegetables in a buttery, creamy sauce, all wrapped in a classic, hot, flaky, golden fried pie crust.

Brian Gies, Chief Marketing Officer Church’s Chicken stated “Church’s remains committed to the communities we’ve proudly served for nearly 70 years,” .. “Providing that something extra without the additional cost is a small way to make a big difference to our Church’s family. If we can help stretch a single meal further or provide leftovers or snacks for the next day, we want people to know we’re here to help keep everyone well fed.”

Church’s Family Meals are already known for hearty portions, including shareable homestyle sides like Baked Macaroni ‘n Cheese, Fried Okra and Honey Butter Biscuits™. The four (4) FREE Hand-held Chicken Pot Pies will automatically be added to all Family Meal orders at Church’s 164 company owned domestic locations. No coupon or discount code is required.

“Small gestures really mean a lot in these uncertain times,” adds Gies. “If an extra portion of Church’s comfort food can brighten someone’s day, we welcome the opportunity to pay that goodwill forward.” All free Family Meal extras will be available at all participating Church’s restaurants, while supplies last.

Are you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday that tomorrow?  Visit GrocerantGuru.com for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may have the clue you need to propel your continued success.

Church’s Chicken Consumers want Delivery

Food delivery has been gaining speed for over 30 years and pizza has been the mainstay growth driver fro some time.  However, regular readers of this blog know that KFC of Canada 18 years ago was posting delivery numbers of over 20%. 

Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® was working with KFC Canada on elevating online ordering and delivery back in the day with cyberslice and Food.com and one has to wonder how could it have taken a chain the size of Church’s Chicken so long to discover delivery?  Then tout it as if it was the next coming of the chain?

We ask does your marketing, positioning, and business model look more like yesterday than today?  Now figure consider this Church’s Chicken spent a year studying the logistics of third-party delivery before beginning a rollout, an upfront investment that executives cite as a key reason for the rapid-fire adoption now underway within the chain. 

Hector Munoz, global CMO for the 1,078-unit quick-service brand stated “It’s a lot easier than we thought it would be,”  “We did our homework all of 2017 to prepare for executing in 2018.” Pete Servold, EVP of U.S. operations for the largely franchised brand continued “We studied it so much that we went into it with our eyes wide open,” Johnson contends they should have opened their eyes 20+ years ago and they look like a chain of 2000 not one like today or tomorrow.

Still, the shift into delivery was not without its surprises. Church’s decided to forge ahead with the service even though customers can’t yet use the brand’s app to place delivery orders. Instead, they order through the apps of Church’s four third-party partners, and the brand learned those users aren’t typical Church’s customers.

Servold noted that Church’s core in-store product is bone-in chicken then stated “We see probably triple the number of tender sales [through delivery], which is a good indication that these are new customers,” Johnson was not surprised stating customers move and brands must move with them.  Today’s customers are dynamic not static brands that want to stay relevant must be dynamic as well. 

Inching ahead Church’s is working on an order-and-pay-ahead function for its app, as well as a catering program. For the sake of the brand, franchisee let’s hope they don’t take 20 years to figure out their next step forward. 

Are you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how www.FoodserviceSolutions.us can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.

Chick-fil-A Meal Kits Expand Branded Buzz

Chick-fil-A wants to put food on you dinner table if you buy it in the drive-thru cooked or even if you want to go home and cook a ‘home cooked meal”.  Chick-fil-A is selling meal kits at 150 test stores in and around Atlanta, GA with menu items that are easy to prepare, flavorful, and fresh.

According to Steven Johnson, the Grocerant Guru® Chick-fil-A is the first fast food-chain to sell meal kits and he insist that it is a natural branded line extension that will garner industry buzz and be a key undercurrent driver of a new grocerant niche business model that is being developed at fresh fast food restaurants.

Michael Patrick leads the company's Mealtime Kit program for Chick-fil-A stated "We're good at serving high-quality chicken," "If you want chicken in your meal kit, we want you to think of Chick-fil-A." According to Patrick their meal kits are straightforward, family-style favorites like crispy Dijon chicken, chicken parmesan, chicken enchiladas, chicken flatbread and pan roasted chicken with greens. Naturally, it's all chicken, and that's no accident.

Patrick says Chick-fil-A has an advantage. "Customers are already coming to us for food, so the opportunity to be convenient — solve two meal problems in one visit — is the definition of convenience," Johnson agrees saying the brand ‘halo’ Chick-fil-A customers place on the brand are a natural platform to build incremental sales. .

Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant ScoreCards tell us that at 4PM 64.7% of consumers do not know what’s for dinner and Patrick says that "We're solving that 4 p.m. problem." Is your business model expanding? Is your branded selling an incremental meal to your customers?  Why Not?

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a Grocerant Program Assessment, Grocerant ScoreCard, or for product positioning or placement assistance, or call our Grocerant Guru®.  Since 1991 www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869

Church’s Chicken Expands Grocerant niche Mix & Match Meal Bundling

Do you want big results then your company must do big things in the minds-eye of the consumer.  Doing the same thing, the same way will get you the same results according to Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru®, Steven Johnson. 

That is most likely the reason that Church’s Chicken has adopted the proven formant of grocerant Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food marketing clues to success according to Johnson.  The $5 Real Big Deal is Church’s most customizable, highest value offering, and will be available at every Church’s restaurant across the nation leverage portability, price, and mix and match bundling to drive sales.

Hector Munoz, Executive Vice President & Global Chief Marketing Officer at Church’s Chicken stated  “While other restaurants are working to bring ever-more competitive pricing to the market, Church’s is winning by offering value in a new way … through an abundance of flavor and choice,”  “Our chicken and biscuits are only one dimension of the Church’s quality chicken  experience. We also feature a full complement of home-style sides that guests can fully explore without any change in price.”

Ok, he did state price was not a key driver.  However regular readers of this blog know he had to say that.  The fact is our Grocerant ScoreCards, have proven that price continues to be a leading factor in driving trial and customer adoption.

Munoz continued  “Real value is an experience guests can return to time and time again while also finding something new and fresh to enjoy,”… “The $5 Real Big Deal is putting our guests in charge, and allowing them to create entire meals—including sides—with a level of variety rarely seen in the industry.” We all know the value of Mix & Match bundling brings to the grocerant niche.

Church’s Chicken did edify our points when they went on to say “The $5 Real Big Deal was created in direct response to guest feedback to make value more accessible through additional variety at affordable price points. With multiple pieces of chicken, two sides, a biscuit, and a Jalapeño pepper, the deal provides a considerable amount of quality food at an unbeatable $5. Church’s executives believe the brand is enjoying unparalleled franchisee support for the new meal because of the value and control it provides guests, which is backed up by the in-market testing conducted over the past few months.”

Success does leave clues www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  is the global leader in grocerant niche business development.  We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities.  Has your company had a Grocerant ScoreCard completed a Grocerant Program Assessment, or new Grocerant niche product Ideation?  Want one?  Call 253-759-7869 Email: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us