Annabelle Fanchette, KFC: "50,000 customers at Kentucky Town despite the unexpected!"

Why did you choose the KFC in Curepipe to conclude the 40th anniversary celebrations of KFC Mauritius?

Choosing the KFC in Curepipe was an obvious decision. Ending the 40th anniversary celebration where it all began was the logical choice. The Curepipe KFC opened its doors on December 13, 1983, and was the very first fast-food restaurant in Mauritius. A unique, welcoming, and accessible place, it has marked several generations of Mauritians.

Let’s talk about the results of Kentucky Town at Tribeca. How do you evaluate the event?

The results are extremely positive in many ways. From a human perspective, this adventure was a unifying experience, bringing all teams together in an extraordinary way. Whether in operations, security, maintenance, IT, quality, or health and safety, everyone worked hand in hand to build and sustain this village for 10 days. Every KFC team member arrived each morning with enthusiasm, rain or shine.

Additionally, the public showed up in great numbers regardless of the weather conditions. We owe a big thank you to our customers, who have truly demonstrated the significance of this brand for Mauritians. Our customers came not only to celebrate our 40th anniversary but also to enjoy a unique experience. This is an exceptional achievement, and I doubt any other company in Mauritius has done something similar before.

What were the main challenges in organizing this event?

The biggest challenge was the very short timeframe we had. In just 8 weeks, we managed to implement the entire project—from setting up the structure to developing 14 new KFC products. Normally, such a project takes about six months to execute.

It’s important to highlight that YUM, our franchise, places immense importance on quality and does not authorize any product launch without rigorous validation and all necessary microbiological tests. This was a major challenge for the KFC Mauritius and YUM Quality teams, who worked tirelessly to develop and launch these new products in such a short time.

Creating a dynamic and lively village that could sustain itself for such a long duration was also a significant challenge. We relied on the support of Circus Advertising to ensure that customers could enjoy a unique experience.

Finally, the weather conditions were not in our favor, and we had to make daily adjustments due to rain so that our customers could still enjoy Kentucky Town. Despite all these obstacles, including concert cancellations, the team showed incredible resilience, and the public response was amazing, with 10,000 customers attending on the last day.