“It’s Finger Lickin’ Good”: Here’s how a southern gentleman turned a roadside recipe into a global brand!

From the desk of Miles Everson:

Happy Monday, everyone!

Let’s kickstart the new week by diving into the story of one of our “Marvels” who made a lasting impact in the fast food industry.

We’re turning the spotlight on the genius behind the irresistible fried chicken that almost everyone loves and enjoys.

Any idea who we’re referring to?



Continue reading to know how this person overcame his obstacles and built a brand that attained global fame!

“It’s Finger Lickin’ Good”: Here’s how a southern gentleman turned a roadside recipe into a global brand!



What makes a fast food icon successful?

An iron will?

A knack for developing menu items no one can resist?

An ability to charm his customers?

Well, this “Marvel” possessed all three traits and these served him well in his rise to the top.

His name?

Colonel Harland Sanders!

Born on September 9, 1890 in Henryville, Indiana, Sanders faced multiple hardships early on in his life. His father died when he was only five years old, leaving his mother to become the sole provider for their family.

As the eldest, Sanders had to care for his siblings and take on much of his household’s cooking.

His early experiences instilled in him a strong work ethic and resilience—traits that he would continue to carry later on in his life.

Once he was old enough to work, Sanders dabbled in various jobs such as a railroad worker, insurance salesman, gas station operator, and a tire salesman.

By 1927, he was put in charge of a Standard Oil gas station in Nicholasville, Kentucky. Unfortunately for Sanders, the Great Depression forced the station to close in 1930.

Then the silver lining came…

Shell Oil Company offered him a service station in North Corbin, Kentucky rent-free, in exchange of paying the company a percentage of sales made.

Sanders used the opportunity to serve food dishes such as chicken dishes, country ham, and steak dinners.

Before he could open a proper restaurant, he sold his food near his living quarters at the gas station.

By 1937, he established his first restaurant, Sanders Court and Café, and became highly popular among locals because of his culinary skills. Two years later, Sanders perfected his fried chicken recipe consisting of 11 herbs and spices.

He continued his restaurant business and by the end of World War II, he began his quest to franchise his business.

Unfortunately, not everything went according to plan, and Sanders had to endure multiple rejections before he was able to successfully franchise his restaurant.

In 1952, the first Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurant was opened near Salt Lake City, Utah.

By the 1960s, Sanders’ efforts bore fruit as the number of KFC’s franchises grew to over 600, including locations in Canada, Mexico, and the U.K.

Suit, Smile, and Southern Charm: Sanders’ Secret Recipe to Success

Sanders’ culinary prowess wasn’t the sole determiner of his success.

He understood that for him to successfully climb to the top, he had to build a brand that was memorable and left a lasting impact on his customers.

In other words, Sanders sought to embody his brand and became a living symbol of it.

He did this by fully embracing the role of a southern gentleman by wearing his iconic white suit and a string tie, and by referring to himself as a “colonel”—a title that was bestowed to him in 1935 when he was commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel in 1935.

Sanders would wear his iconic outfit each time he was out in public, enabling him to build awareness for his brand and become a symbol that his customers could easily remember.

Sanders also sought to set KFC apart not only in brand image but also in taste.

He did this by trademarking his secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices to protect it from being replicated by his competitors. This strategy also added an air of mystery and uniqueness to his company that fueled curiosity and customer demand.

Lastly, Sanders understood that he can only do so much on his own, that’s why he sought to franchise KFC because this would enable him to widen his reach and increase his customer base.

… and to make sure the food will taste the same across different locations, Sanders made it a priority to teach his franchisees on how to prepare his iconic fried chicken.

It was this business model that enabled him to transform KFC from a roadside destination into one of the world’s most recognizable and largest empires.

From Rejection to Recipe for Success: The Colonel's Unlikely Road to Global Fame

Sanders’ story is not just about the rise of a fried chicken empire. It’s also about perseverance, innovation, and the power of marketing and branding.

His ability to turn repeated failures into stepping stones, paired with his genius for self-promotion and expansion, serves as a blueprint for entrepreneurs and anyone who wants to make it big in the world.

KFC and Sanders’ success story shows that building a successful business isn’t just about quick wins; it’s also about being resilient, fostering innovation, and creating a brand image that everyone can recognize and be endeared to.

Another important thing to take note of?

Sanders began his journey and was only able to experience success later in life, proving that success doesn’t follow a straight line and that it can come when least expected.

So, whether you’re in the early stages of building your brand or refining an established one, take a cue from Sanders!

Embrace your unique story, get to know your audience, and use what you know to create a brand that customers can find endearing and relatable!

Hope you’ve found this week’s topic interesting and helpful.

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