Kentucky Grilled Chicken? Say it ain’t so, Joe

Say it ain’t so, Joe. Kentucky Fried Chicken, built into a worldwide franchise eatery by Colonel Harland Sanders based on his famous “finger lickin’ good” secret recipe for fried chicken is going to the grill — for the health of it.
Starting in a few weeks, KFC customers in select U.S. cities are going to see “Now Grilling” signs promoting Kentucky Grilled Chicken.
“This is transformational for our brand,” said Doug Hasselo, KFC’s chief food innovation officer.
Louisville-based KFC, a subsidiary of Yum Brands Inc., hopes grilled chicken will lure back health-conscious consumers who dropped fried chicken from their diets, or cut back on indulging. KFC announced last year that fried chicken at all its U.S. restaurants had zero grams of trans fat per serving after the chain switched cooking oils.
KFC says the grilled chicken has significantly fewer calories and fat, plus much less sodium, than its Original Recipe fried chicken that launched the brand more than a half-century ago.
The chain says it now serves some 12 million customers daily at more than 14,000 outlets around the world. The grilled chicken, served on the bone, is being tested in six cities ¡ª Indianapolis, Colorado Springs, San Diego, Oklahoma City, Jacksonville, Florida, and Austin, Texas. A national rollout is planned early next year.
    
The company says prices for grilled and fried chicken will be comparable. Even while planning a big marketing push for grilled chicken, KFC executives insist the chain is not backing away from its most famous product. New fried chicken items are planned this summer.
    
Larry Miller, a restaurant analyst with RBC Capital Markets, said the chain faces a possible “speed bump” in winning over health-savvy consumers.