The American fast food giant’s success in China is a recipe that other companies should follow. Photo credit – Pixabay

KFC in China is ‘tastier and fresher’

KFC’s phenomenal success in the Chinese marketplace, where it is the most popular fast food chain, makes for an interesting case study.

That’s according to Harrison Jacobs, reporting for Business Insider, who suggests that KFC has carefully catered to the local market, rather than just replicating original menus as other firms have done.

Jacobs also revealed that he found the food at KFC in China to be ‘tastier and fresher’ than that in other countries.

As other companies pursue the so-called ‘Chinese Dream’ of successful trade in China, what lessons can they takeaway (sorry) from this?

The first, and most obvious one, is that a Chinese branch of a Western business shouldn’t just be a carbon copy of the original.

Interestingly, the best performing Western car manufacturers in China are those that abide by this principle – launching special models that appeal specifically to local buyers.

Secondly, success in China isn’t guaranteed – it needs careful attention to detail and imagination to capture consumers who have a great deal of choice.

Companies like Uber have tried and failed to conquer the Chinese market, partially through the mistaken belief that good results in other countries will automatically lead to good results in China.

Finally – for food companies – remember that fresh food tastes best!