 |
KFC® in the News |
|
KFC® in the News |
Contacts:
Jonathan Blum, Tricon (502) 456-8825
Laura Mellilo, KFC Corporation - (502) 456-8042
LOUISVILLE, KY., July 31, 1997 -- Tricon Global Restaurants, Inc. announced today its decision to locate its corporate headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky. Tricon will be spun off from PepsiCo by year's end, and will be the holding company for more than 30,000 KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut restaurants around the world, making it the largest restaurant system in the world based on number of restaurants.
The company's 1996 worldwide system sales exceeded $20 billion. It expects to generate approximately 250 jobs at its new headquarters, and has plans to build an 83,000 square foot building next to its KFC Restaurant Support Center, which the company also announced will remain in Louisville. The company's Pizza Hut and international Restaurant Support Centers will remain in Dallas, Texas, and its Taco Bell Restaurant Support Center will remain in Irvine, California. The company also has restaurant support services in Wichita, Kansas and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
In making this announcement, Tricon's Vice Chairman and President, David Novak said "Tricon loves Louisville, and we're proud to call it our new home!" He said the company conducted an exhaustive review of other site locations, and short-listed Louisville and Dallas, Texas because it wanted to be in close proximity to one of its Restaurant Support Centers.
"We want to establish a culture at Tricon that honors our employees, beginning with our Restaurant General Managers and their teams, and up to our Restaurant Support Centers and corporate headquarters," Novak said. "Our decision to select Louisville was primarily based on the environment, comfortable lifestyle, affordable cost of living, quality education and strong value system the city will offer our employees, many of whom will be relocating from other locations." He also said the State, County and City's economic development incentives aided in the decision.
At a Letter of Intent signing ceremony held at its KFC Restaurant Support Center, Novak praised Governor Paul Patton, Jefferson County Judge David Armstrong, Mayor Jerry Abramson and their staffs by saying "we are very appreciative of the support we have received from business and civic leaders in Kentucky, Jefferson County and the City of Louisville. It is obvious the leadership in this State is committed to making Kentucky a great place to do business. They worked hard at making us feel welcome, and they were competitive with other States aggressively seeking our headquarters site."
"We applaud Tricon's decision to make Kentucky its home, and that KFC will remain in Louisville," said Governor Paul Patton. "Tricon and KFC belong in Kentucky. This is an important business victory for the State, and we're proud we were able to effectively compete with Texas and other States interested in Tricon's headquarters," he added.
Current Press Releases | Back to WKFC News