KFC U.S. switches from Pepsi to Coke
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.jpg?width=1280&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale "KFC is switching from Pepsi to Coke in the U.S. market")
KFC is switching from Pepsi to Coke in the U.S. market Photo courtesy of KFC
KFC U.S. is making the switch from Pepsi to Coke after a 40-year exclusive partnership.
Beginning in January 2027, KFC will transition its U.S. beverage partnership, with Coca-Cola products expected to be served in all restaurants by spring 2027.
“I’m incredibly excited to bring KFC and Coca-Cola together. These are two originals, with deep consumer love,” KFC President Catherine Tan-Gillespie said in a statement. “This partnership is about more than what’s in the cup. It is another step in our work to evolve KFC, strengthen our restaurants, menu offerings and create a more relevant experience for today’s customers. Coca-Cola shares our ambition for the future of this brand, and I’m excited about what we can create together.”
The announcement comes as KFC continues to evolve its beverage platform through new drink offerings and expanded dayparts in response to significant consumer demand. The chain’s new Open House prototype in McKinney, Texas, for instance, has a Sips lineup that includes lemonades, boba refreshers, and Krunch shakes.
It also comes amid a “comeback plan” from KFC put into place last year shortly after Tan-Gillespie took on her role. That plan was put into place after years of market share erosion and has so far included refreshed marketing, new value offerings, and the return of some favorites like potato wedges and popcorn chicken. Tan-Gillespie said the company is “loved but latent” and needed some energy, inspiring the bevy of new initiatives.
“This exciting new partnership brings Coca-Cola and KFC together across the U.S. for the first time,” Dagmar Boggs, Coca-Cola’s president of Foodservice & On-Premise, North America, said in a statement. “By pairing KFC’s iconic food and flavors with the breadth of Coca-Cola’s beverage portfolio and innovation capabilities, we have an incredible opportunity to make every visit more refreshing, create memorable consumer experiences and unlock new growth possibilities together.”
PepsiCo bought KFC in 1986 and made Pepsi the exclusive beverage partner for U.S. locations. Even after PepsiCo spun off KFC into Yum Brands in 1997, the partnership continued. PepsiCo will remain a beverage partner for KFC in international markets.
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