KFC has debunked claims from a South African Entrepreneur that it has stolen his local dish idea ‘Kota’.
Kentucky Fried Chicken, a global chicken restaurant brand with branches over the world has been accused by Romeo Malepe, a South African Entrepreneur over fitting his idea of a local dish called Kota into their menu which he developed four years ago.
The South African Entrepreneur took to social media and condemned the fast food chain for stealing his dish idea “Streetwise Kota” when he was looking forward to a partnership with them.
Kota, also known locally as Sphatlo, is a big sandwich with multiple ingredients stuffed into a quarter loaf of bread, wrapped and eaten on the go.
However, KFC has come out to debunk the claims in a statement to South African media, stating it was “no secret that kota is a famous South African meal and the limited-edition KFC Sphatlho is a result of an internal product development process”.
KFC has been inspired over 50 years by the South African heritage and culture to develop local innovative products in their menu.
“We will continue to use South African food trends as inspiration to bring relevant products to our fans across South Africa,” KFC stated.
Kentucky Fried Chicken, known by its abbreviated name KFC is an American fast food restaurant chain headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, that specializes in fried chicken.