1851

Known by most as the famous face that adorns KFC restaurant signage and serves as the main character in its many popular TV commercials, what’s lesser-known about brand founder Colonel &nbsp;Harland Sanders is arguably the most significant part of his legacy.It’s one thing that Sanders founded what would become a major global restaurant enterprise at 65 years of age, a time when most people are five years into their retirement. It’s wholly another that he did so not just with the secret blend of herbs and spices we’ve all heard so much about, but also with an unwavering commitment to innovation that informed his business model’s emphasis on fast, quality food preparation.&nbsp;After working a number of odd jobs through his teenage years into his twenties, Sanders’ entrepreneurial career really began in the thick of the Great Depression, when he acquired a service station in Corbin, Kentucky in 1930. Due to low demand as a result of the economic crisis, Sanders implemented a tactic to boost sales that included selling chicken and steak dishes as comfort food to his customers. The operation became so popular that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-kfc-founder-colonel-sanders-achieved-success-in-his-60s-2015-6?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=kfc-founder-colonel-sanders-rooted-his-business-in-innovation-leading-to-global-recognition-2712149" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">he eventually removed the service station’s gas pump</a> and turned the place into a full-time restaurant.&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-align-right"><img src="https://1851-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/story/editor/1580317908_sanders 2.jpg"></figure>Due to long preparation times, however, the restaurant did not serve fried chicken.&nbsp;As his business carried on, Sanders began looking for a way to speed up the cooking process of fried chicken, and in 1939, he found it—by inventing the pressure cooker. The invention, along with his blend of 11 herbs and spices, created precisely the elusive product he’d been seeking: restaurant-quality fried chicken without the wait. With his process mastered, a branded offering known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2016/7/5/12096466/colonel-sanders-kfc-meme-life-story?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=kfc-founder-colonel-sanders-rooted-his-business-in-innovation-leading-to-global-recognition-2712149" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">and a new title of ‘Colonel’ bestowed upon him by the governor of Kentucky</a>, Sanders sold his restaurant and began traveling the country in hopes of franchising his business and expanding the reach of his revolutionary cooking process. He would enter a restaurant, offer to cook his chicken, and then make a deal if the owner liked what they tasted. Lo and behold, the tactic worked.&nbsp;While traveling and explaining his new cooking process to potential investors and franchisees, Colonel Sanders <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1970/02/14/kentucky-fried?subId1=xid%3Afr1580315214880aij&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=kfc-founder-colonel-sanders-rooted-his-business-in-innovation-leading-to-global-recognition-2712149" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">expanded his chicken empire across the country to 600 locations by 1964</a>, when Sanders sold the brand, remaining a part of its board of directors until his death in 1980. In fact, it was one of the first franchisees who came up with the original bucket idea the chain still uses today.&nbsp;Now, the business Sanders built up from scratch through determination and innovation has a presence in more than 100 countries across the world, his name and likeness a household name.

KFC Founder Colonel Sanders Rooted His Business in Innovation, Leading to Global Recognition

1851 Franchise

Colonel Sanders invented a tool that would improve business operations and maintain quality food preparation across all of KFC’s locations, leading the brand to momentous global success. 

kfc-founder-colonel-sanders-rooted-his-business-in-innovation-leading-to-global-recognition

Beansquad

Navigating Sales Tax Compliance for Franchises: Insights from BeanSquad

navigating-sales-tax-compliance-for-franchises-insights-from-beansquad

DoodyCalls

Scoop Success: 5 Smart Reasons Why DoodyCalls Is the Ideal Franchise Opportunity

scoop-success-5-smart-reasons-why-doodycalls-is-the-ideal-franchise-opportunity

Mister Sparky Electric

How Mister Sparky’s Culture of Support Helps Franchisees Power Up Their Futures

how-mister-sparkys-culture-of-support-helps-franchisees-power-up-their-futures

Senior Care Authority

Senior Care Authority Strengthens Executive Team To Drive Growth and Strengthen Franchisee Support

senior-care-authority-strengthens-executive-team-to-drive-growth-and-strengthen-franchisee-support

America's Swimming Pool

America's Swimming Pool Co. - ASP - Franchisee Profile - Joel Davis - Frisco, Texas - 1851 Franchise

Father‑Son Duo Making Waves: Joel Davis’ Journey with America’s Swimming Pool Company in Frisco

americas-swimming-pool-asp-franchise-joel-davis-frisco-texas

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

McDonald’s Launches New Extra Value Meals as Consumer Demand for Value Continues to Climb

mcdonalds-launches-extra-value-meals

Power Eats: Smoothie King Rolls Out Food Nationwide To Fuel Franchise Growth

smoothie-king-food-menu-power-eats

Keurig Dr Pepper Splits in $18 Billion JDE Peet’s Deal, Creating Global Coffee Giant

keurig-dr-pepper-splits-in-18-billion-jde-peets-deal-creating-global-coffee-giant

McDonald’s Rolls Out Major Value Push To Win Back Customers Amid Inflation

mcdonalds-rolls-out-major-value-push-to-win-back-customers-amid-inflation

Photo of Paris Baguette pastries and beverages 

Paris Baguette Celebrates 250th Café Opening in Frederick, Maryland, Accelerating Expansion and Reviving the Neighborhood Bakery Café

paris-baguette-250th-north-america-cafe

Franchise Deep Dive graphic with i9 Sports logo

i9 Sports Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

i9-sports-franchise-cost-fees-profit

911 Restoration Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

911-restoration-franchise-deep-dive

Unlocking Franchise Growth: Why Investors Are Turning to Sola Salons and Woodhouse Spas

radiance-holdings-sola-woodhouse-franchise-investment

Jollibee -Launch-Story-Brand-Page-Deep-Dive-2025

Jollibee Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

jollibee-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-for-2025

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

graphic image of a franchisee spotligh aman kaur of voodoo brewing

How This Trio of Friends Is Brewing Up Community With Voodoo Brewing Co. in Prosper, Texas

voodoo-brewing-franchisee-aman-kaur-prosper-texas

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

Multi-Unit Wendy’s Operator Signs 12-Unit Deal With Layne’s Chicken Fingers

ricki-oberoi-laynes-chicken-fingers-growth

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise Built on Heart and Community

paris-baguette-franchise-rockaway-new-jersey-vishal-junjea

KFC Founder Colonel Sanders Rooted His Business in Innovation, Leading to Global Recognition

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS