Chicago, Il-based fastfood giant Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is celebrating its 50th birthday the first week of August 2002.


The now-famous Colonel Harlan Sanders first served his “original recipe” chicken at his cafe in Corbin, Ky. Franchisee Pete Harman helped spur the Colonel’s chicken to global consumers, however, making a deal with Sanders to sell the coated chicken at his Salt Lake City, Utah restaurant paying Sanders a nickel per chicken.


Colonel Sanders then cashed in his US$105 social security check and travelled from town to town selling his chicken recipe to restaurant owners who would build the chicken franchise empire.


In 1969, Colonel Sanders bought the first 100 shares of KFC stock on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).


Today, the KFC chain generates nearly US$10bn in retail sales worldwide every year, through 11,000 KFC stores across more than 80 countries.

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