Why KFC's New, Green Containers are a Big Win
KFC is going green for takeout and introducing the fast-food world's first reusable takeout packaging in all stores by next year. Talk about an idea whose time is way, way overdue. Let's hope lots of other chains take notice -- and they probably will after seeing all of the positive spin KFC gets out of this initiative.
Switching to reusable packaging benefits KFC in many ways. Among the positive angles:
Greenie points. The accolades are already rolling in for KFC ditching nasty old styrofoam (as seen below) for sturdy, more recyclable plastic (seen at right) that patrons can use many times before discarding. The new container, which is clearly marked "reusable," has already won a Greener Package Award. Expect that fact to be prominently featured in next year's corporate responsibility report for parent company Yum! Brands (YUM). Also, the company will be able to boast on being first to go greener on takeout packaging forever.
It's not clear whether this initiative would work for sister company Pizza Hut, as their most-used takeout box is an entirely different size and shape, and usually already made of cardboard that's increasingly compostable in major cities, even with the grease stains. But maybe a similar package to KFC's could work for side dishes at other Yum companies including Taco Bell and Long John Silver's, which would grow Yum's green cred.
Help customers save money. It might not seem like blue-collar, fast-food consumers would care about saving the planet when they're eating at KFC. We'll see if they do, but one thing's for sure: They do appreciate the value of a dollar. Giving diners a container they can use at home instead of having to buy food-storage containers at the store is a nice thank-you for their patronage.
Brand persistence. Possibly the best thing about handing out reusable containers to customers is that these little containers become a free brand-awareness powerhouse in consumers' homes. Every time they take them out and plop in their leftovers, there's the company name again. And again. Even lower-quality plastic reusables can easily go 20 or 30 uses before they might be discarded. It's basically no-cost stealth marketing that won't annoy customers.
Word of mouth. At this point, reusable fast-food packaging at the national-chain level is so novel it ought to inspire a lot of positive buzz for the chain.
Fence-mender. KFC is grappling with an array of problems -- it's being sued by its franchise owners and its U.S. sales are down, likely due to overexpansion. The new packaging gives franchisees something upbeat to talk about, which could help diffuse some of the negativity currently circulating around the chain.
Recyclable package courtesy of KFC; Styrofoam package photo via Flickr user El Gran Dee
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