One of America’s most guarded trade secrets, Colonel Sanders’ handwritten Original Recipe, made a quiet return to its Louisville home last night. Accompanied by armed guards, KFC brought back the secret blend of 11 herbs and spices to its newly modernized and remodeled home.
The return of the valued secret comes as KFC launches its first ever Value Menu, an assortment of 10 delicious menu items all priced at a value-focused 99 cents, $1.49 or $1.99.
“We’re glad to have the Secret Recipe home as it is a key part of our new KFC Value Menu,” says KFC President Roger Eaton. “In these economic times, KFC understands that Americans crave great value and the new KFC Ultimate Value Menu provides many of our priceless KFC favorites, including the Original Recipe KFC Snacker, starting at 99 cents.”
The Secret Recipe’s New Home – the KFC Ultimate Value Menu
Colonel Harland Sanders created the now-famous Original Recipe in 1940, and it hasn’t changed since. While Sanders’ Original Recipe fried chicken is a mainstay of the KFC menu, the signature taste of the Secret Recipe is available on the new Ultimate Value Menu via the Original Recipe Snacker sandwich and the Toasted Wrap. Value Menu items include:
- 99 cents – KFC Snacker Sandwiches, Two Biscuits, or Two Apple Turnovers
- $1.49 – Side Salad or KFC Toasted Wrap
- $1.99 – Snack Boxes (Popcorn Chicken with Potato Wedges or Three Hot Wings with Potato Wedges), Snack Size Bowl or Honey BBQ Sandwich
New Security Protects Original Recipe
The Secret Recipe’s new high-tech home is like something out of a Hollywood movie. The custom-built, digital FireKing safe protecting the Secret Recipe weighs more than 770 lbs and has a 1/2″ thick steel door. The computerized safe also boasts a dual-opening system that requires both a smart key and a personal identification number (PIN). A built-in silent alarm and time lock feature provide additional layers of safekeeping, which will alert the security team of any attempted intrusion and allow access to the safe only during pre-set periods of time.
But the new safeguards don’t end with the safe. The vault housing the new safe is reinforced with two feet of concrete in the ceiling, walls and floor to ensure that no one can tunnel or drill into the vault. Additionally, the vault and safe are now under 24-hour video and motion-detection surveillance.
A cornerstone of Kentucky Fried Chicken, Sanders’ Original Recipe ranks among America’s most valuable trade secrets. In September, KFC temporarily relocated the prized possession to an undisclosed secure location while upgrades were made under the supervision of corporate security expert and former New York City Police Detective Bo Dietl.
“The Colonel and KFC kept the Secret Recipe safe for 68 years, and while the recipe has never changed, times have and the security needed an upgrade,” Dietl says.
Value Menu Luncheon In the New Vault
Select members of the media will receive a first-ever look inside the home of the Secret Recipe this morning during a special Value Menu luncheon inside the actual modernized vault housing Sanders’ handwritten blend of 11 herbs and spices. Reporters will be among the first “outsiders” to ever see inside the Colonel’s vault, while also being among the first to try KFC’s new Value Menu. They will even be able to take a shot at opening the new safe.
