KFC in Japan and the uk

University of Greenwich ID Number: 001362720

FPT Student ID Number: GBS230302

Module Code: MARK1266

Module Assessment Title: Comparision of KFC in Japan and the UK

Lecturer Name: Vo Minh Hieu

Submission Date: 30th July 2024

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 KFC in Japan and the uk

KFC in Japan and UK

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Table of Contents

I. Introduction.........................................................................5

II. Target market......................................................................5

III. Marketing mix (seven Ps)....................................................6

1. Products and services.........................................................7

2. Pricing strategy...................................................................7

3. Place................................................................................... 8

4. Promotion........................................................................... 8

5. People.................................................................................9

6. Process............................................................................. 10

7. Physical evidence.............................................................10

IV. Standardisation and Adaptation.......................................12

1. Definition.......................................................................... 12

2. Comparision of the UK and Japan.....................................12

V. Conclusion...........................................................................14

VI. Appendix:............................................................................ 15

VII.References.......................................................................... 17

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I. Introduction
KFC stands for Kentuck Fried Chicken, it is a global fast food chain that is specialized and
well-known for fried chicken. The chain was started by Colonel Harland Sander, the one who
created the traditional recipe for KFC. The logo of KFC takes red and white as the main
colours and the painting of Harland Sander is the iconic face of the brand (KFC, 2024).

Table 1 Harland Sander on the KFC logo (KFC)

KFC is so big that it is present in almost every popular country, including China, the US,
Japan, the UK, etc. This paper will take the UK and Japan markets of KFC as the target for
comparison. The aspects that this paper going to discuss are the Target Market, the Seven Ps
of the marketing mix, and the Standardisation and Adaptation of the brand in two countries.

II. Target market

KFC in Japan and the UK do not share the same customer segmentation. Japan KFC's primary
customers are young adults, teenagers, and families with children. Youngsters become their
target because they are easily attracted to flavourful meals and are more willing to try non-
tradition flavours (Sheridan, 2024). In the UK, the two largest age groups of KFC consumers
are aged 15-34 (unmarried, not living with relations) and married above 55 (Kantar, 2018).

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In both countries, there are special items on the menu to satisfy local tastes and hobbies.
For instance, Japan KFC has “Teriyaki Chicken” a localised wrap, and UK KFC has “Scoff-ee
Cup” made from edible waffles so that people can eat the cup after finishing the coffee
inside. Notably, they will always have the iconic Colonel Sanders red and white logo to build
trust and recognition (Nelson-Field, 2020).

More specific comparisons are described in the table below:

Table 2 KFC's target market in Japan and the UK
The UK Japan

Demographic According to Kantar (2018), the The details of the customer profile of
largest groups of target audiences in KFC in Japan have not been found.
the UK are: But one of the largest groups seems
7%: Aged 15-34, not married or do to be families.
not live with relations. In 2019, 3.6 million Japanese families
7%: Aged 55+, married or do not live ate KFC chicken on Christmas Eve,
with relations. meaning that KFC products reached
15%: Come from London 15% of families in Japan (Wells, 2024).
15%: Live in South East

Geographic Many stores are placed in bustling Same with the UK

areas like shopping malls, near train
stations and busty streets (Rui et al,
2016).
Psychographic Align with the convenience and quick
Align with local cultures by providing
service lifestyle of local citizens.
special items and promotions during
Introduce healthier menu Items and
Christmas.
clear nutrition information (Khan and
Japan KFC have a high standard of
Matlay, 2023). presentation to meet local
expectations.
Behaviour KFC make drive-thru common Japan KFC make traditional Teriyaki
because many customers prefer chicken a common item on the menu
convenience and speed. to fit the local's taste.

III. Marketing mix (seven Ps)

The marketing mix is a framework used to define marketing activities. It can be involved in
4Ps or 7Ps, the 7Ps version will be more comprehensive and cover more aspects of
marketing strategies (Barrington, 2024). The seven Ps that this paper gonna discuss are
Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Process, and Physical Evidence.

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1. Products and services

KFC’s menus in the UK and Japan share the same items, such as chicken pieces of original
taste or chicken fillet burgers. The chain also has its own delivery system besides third-party
services like Uber Eats or Demae-can (a popular service in Japan).

The biggest difference that the brand provides in the two areas might be the special items
on the regional menu:

Table 3 Some specialities of the KFC's menu in the UK and Japan (information from the official menu)
The UK Japan
Drinks Besides regular products like coffee, Options that are always available:
tea, and Pepsi’s Coke & juice. They Coke, hot Lipton tea, hot coffee. The
have options for 1.5L bottles. Coke always come in a cup.

Portion Bigger than Japan. Slightly more humble-looking.

Vegan options Available at almost every outlet. Not available on the main menu,
might be present in limited areas.

Side dishes Baked beans, mashed potato, Chocolate pie, salad, thick cookies.
corncob.

2. Pricing strategy

KFC in both Japan and the UK are facing stiff competition from other chains like McDonald's
and Burger King. But for a market that is sensitive to prices like the UK, KFC seems to be
more concerned about pricing their products (Pandey et al, 2021). For example, a “Big Mac
Meal” with a burger, fries, and coke from McDonald’s is about £5.69, KFC counters it with a
“Zinger Box meal” which costs £5.99 and includes the same items but adds an extra chicken
piece.

The main items of Japan KFC do not target high-end customers, but they do have expensive
items when it comes to the Christmas season or limited-time collaboration with other
brands.

During Christmas, they have an expensive combo called “Christmas Party Barrel” which
includes the whole roasted chicken, a cake, and a variety of side dishes.

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3. Place

For both KFC in the UK and Japan, their main contribution channels are customers eating at
the restaurant and online orders.

Just like many other fast-food chains, KFC has outlets that are designed primarily for drive-
thru and take-out orders. In the UK, they are very popular and known as “KFC Express” or
“KFC To Go”. These outlets focus on providing quick service and convenience for customers
(Rui et al, 2026).

In Japan, the drive-thru model was not so popular, but they do have outlets that are similar
to “KFC Express” or “KFC To Go”. These outlets don’t have a seating area and are preferred
by the people who are too busy. They are located near Urban areas, shopping centres, or
train stations.

4. Promotion

Promotions are designed to stimulate the demand and encourage the consumers to
purchase. Organisations can give promotions through discounts, special offers, and limited-
time deals (Roberts, 2020). Because of the diversity in culture, the methods of promotion of
KFC in the UK and Japan may not be the same.

In the UK, where the market is sensitive to pricing and promotions, KFC frequently offers
meal deals and discounts to attract customers.

Table 4 Hot deals from the UK KFC (information from the official website)
Price Items Due date
Special Tuesday Deal £5.99 9 Pieces of Original Chicken End on 30 August
2020
Double Dinner Deal for £6.99 2 Fillet Burgers, 2 Fries, 4 Hot Wings. End at 23rd July
2 2024
Colonel's Crowd Pleaser £15 6 Pieces of Original Chicken, 4 Mini Not know yet
Fillets, 4 Hot Wings.
Finger Kickin' Double £22.99 6 Pieces of Original Chicken, 8 Hot Not know yet
Bucket Wings, 1 Regular Popcorn Chicken, 4
Signature Fries, 2 Large Sides.

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The Japan KFC once had a buffet service called “All-You-Can-Eat”. It is what it sounds like, a
buffet. There are three price levels of tickets: adult (£12.24), children(£5.65), and
elementary students (£5.33). Customers can enjoy unlimited fried chicken, side dishes, and
desserts at KFC during the ticketing period.

The prices of Japanese KFC were almost fixed, they rarely made discounts or raised the
prices. One of the rare occasions that people witnessed the chain’s discount was during its
Anniversary.

Table 5 Price of the Combos of KFC in Japan during the Anniversary (information from the official menu, 2022)
Combo Amount of discount

3 Pieces of Original Recipe Chicken, 2 Crispy From ¥1430 to ¥1000 (£4.94)

Strip, 1 Biscuit.
5 Pieces of Original Recipe Chicken, 2 Crispy From ¥2150 to ¥1500 (£7.40)
Strip, 2 Biscuit.
4 Pieces of Original Recipe Chicken, 2 optional From ¥1440 to ¥1290 (£6.37)
Side Dishes
8 Pieces of Original Recipe Chicken, 4 optional From ¥2880 to ¥2390 (£11.80)
Side Dishes

5. People
The term “people” in the marketing mix is preferred to the employees, management,
customers, and all other human elements (Warrink, 2015). When talking about a market
that has a rich politeness culture like Japan and one that is sensitive to prices like the UK, the
term “people” seems to highlight the customer references.

The standard of quality service in Japan is extremely high, thanks to the “Kata” concept (Al-
Alsheikh, 2014). The concept was an important tool that guided the Japanese to achieve
mastery and consistency through discipline practice, it somehow reflects the value of
Japanese society (De Mente, 2011). The fact that KFC is doing great business and opening
more outlets in Japan proves that they have successfully adopted a high standard of service
quality within the country.

In the UK, consumers show high concern about the CSR and nutrient information of the
products. The UK KFC (2024) has a campaign called “Behind the Bucket” where they show
steps that the brand has taken to reduce carbon emissions within their restaurants and

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supply chains. This can be seen as a way to fit customer’s expectations, enhance loyalty of
customers and create good brand images.

6. Process
“Process” in the seven Ps of the marketing mix refers to the mechanism and flow of activities
that deliver the products or services to customers. About KFC, the three main steps of the
“process” are Supply chain, Food preparation, and delivery.

According to the official website, the raw chicken of KFC Japan and the UK will come from
domestic farms. The chicken that comes from trusted overseas suppliers is for special menu
items or when the chain starts to get short of domestic supply.

The food preparation process of KFC in both countries will depend on local authorities and
specific items. One special thing about Japan KFC is that they have pre-order items at
Christmas (Christmas Party Barrels, Christmas Dinner Set, etc).

Even though KFC in Japan and the UK have their delivery channel for online orders, they are
still willing to collaborate with popular third-party services like Uber Eats, Demae-can, etc.

7. Physical evidence
“Physical evidence” consists of tangible elements that customers encounter, in the case of
KFC they may include Store Design, Packaging, and Menu Presentation.

The most visible difference about store design between KFC in Japan and the UK must be the
sizes of the seats. For the customers who eat at the restaurant, the KFC in Japan and most of
the countries in Asia will have slightly smaller chairs and tables according to the local body
size.

Regarding packaging, KFC Japan is often tailored to local preferences, while KFC in the UK
usually refers to standard design.

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Christmas meal box of Japan KFC (Yamazaki, 2020).

There are also differences in the Menu presentation of the UK and Japan KFC. While the
Japanese have items that prefer local taste like Shrimp burgers or Teriyaki chicken, KFC in the
UK offers multiple Vegan options and provides detailed calorie information.

A part of KFC London menu with calorie count (Uber Eats, 2024).

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IV. Standardisation and Adaptation

1. Definition
Standardisation and adaptation are two strategies used to approach international marketing
and product management. The standardisation approach sees the market as “increasingly
homogenous” so the demand and requirements of nations and markets may not be so
varied. Reversely, the adaptation approach prefers to involve and tailor the marketing
strategies to fit the “unique dimension” of different markets (Nguyen, 2011).

“Standardisation” emphasizes consistency in offering the products, branding promotion, and

pricing. The same marketing strategies and materials across multiple markets help
organisations maximize cost efficiency, maintain a consistent brand image, and simplify the
management process as it reduces the complexity of different market demands
(Krishnamurthy, 2016).

“Adaptation” highlights the diversity of consumer needs and differences in culture. By

adapting and tailoring the products and marketing strategies to fit local preferences,
organizations can gain huge competitive advantages because they have special products that
meet the market demands. “Adaptation” ensures that companies comply with local laws and
regulations, minimising the chances of getting eliminated by local authorities (Caudoux,
2024b).

2. Comparision of the UK and Japan

KFC in the UK and Japan apply both Standardisation and Adaptation to their products and
marketing strategies. The two tables below will describe the differences in when they apply
the approaches in two countries with high cultural diversity.

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Table 6 The UK KFC

Standardisation Adaptation
Product The menus always have the chickens of the Special menu items to fit local preferences
original taste. like “Gravy Mega Box”, “Baked Beans”, and
The logo with red & white colour and the “Vegan Burger”.
iconic Harland Sanders picture.

Price Since the materials are mostly taken A few aspects that can easily affect the
domestically, standard prices across markets price are Ingredients cost, rent, minimum
are impossible. wages, cost of the training program, and
inflation rates.
Place Always focus on opening outlets in crowded No outstanding specialities.
areas and provide drive-thru service.
Promotion Giving promotions during “obvious” Fast food consumers in the UK are
occasions like Anniversary and Christmas. sensitive to discounts so the promotions
appear more frequently.

Table 7 The Japan KFC

Standardisation Adaptation
Product The menus always have the chickens of the Teriyaki chickens are the common items
original taste. Hot drinks during cold winter on the Menu.
are popular in countries like Japan and the Frequently have collaboration events.
UK.
The logo with red & white colour and the
iconic Harland Sanders picture.

Price Since the materials are mostly taken A few aspects that can easily affect the
domestically, standard prices across markets price are Ingredients cost, rent, minimum
are impossible. wages, cost of the training program, and
inflation rates.
Place Always focus on opening outlets in crowded Also provides Drive-thru service but is
areas. much less popular than in the UK.
Slightly smaller portions and seating areas.
Promotion Giving promotions during “obvious” Highly focused on sustainable prices,
occasions like Anniversary and Christmas. rarely giving promotions.

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V. Conclusion
This paper has discussed the Target Market, the Seven Ps of the marketing mix,
Standardisation and Adaptation approach of marketing and products of KFC in the UK and
Japanese markets. When making those comparisons, the main thing that needs to be
highlighted is the differences in culture and lifestyle. The living tempo and fast food culture
in the UK are somewhat similar to the US, so the “shape” of Kentucky Fried Chicken did not
shift much. Reversely, Japan has a high standard of quality and presentation, the Japanese
culture also distinguishes itself from the Western culture, making Japan KFC look a lot
different from the UK and the rest of the world.

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VI. Appendix:

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VII. References
Al-Alsheikh, A., 2014. The origin of Japanese excellent customer service. 経営戦略研究= Studies
in business and accounting, (8), pp.23-42.

Barrington, R. (2024) The 7Ps of the Marketing mix | Oxford College of Marketing.
https://blog.oxfordcollegeofmarketing.com/2020/10/08/understanding-the-7ps-of-
the-marketing-mix/.

Behind the Bucket - Environment (2024) KFC UK. Available at: https://www.kfc.co.uk/behind-
the-bucket/environment (Accessed: July 23, 2024).

Benton, B., 2014. Engaging Without Enraging. In The Challenge of Working for Americans:
Perspectives of an International Workforce (pp. 101-119). New York: Palgrave
Macmillan US.

Caudoux, C. (2024b) Export marketing : Standardisation vs. Adaptation - Prime Target.

https://primetarget.tech/export-marketing-standardisation-vs-adaptation/.

De Mente, B.L., 2011. Kata: the key to understanding & dealing with the Japanese!. Tuttle
Publishing.

Kantar. 2018. KFC customers: the power of difference. Available at:

https://www.kantar.com/uki/inspiration/hospitality-travel/kfc-customers-the-
power-of-difference [Accessed 8 Jul. 2024].

KFC (2024). https://global.kfc.com/

KFC (2024). https://www.kfc.co.jp/menu/side.

KFC Menu UK (2024) KFC Menu Price in UK (Updated 2024). Available at:
https://kfcmenuuk.org (Accessed: 22 July 2024).

Krishnamurthy, R., 2016. Standardisation vs adaptation in international marketing.

Khan, H. & Matlay, H., 2023. Cultural Differences: Strengths and Weaknesses. Global Journal
of Management and Business Research. Available at:
https://journalofbusiness.org/index.php/GJMBR/article/download/101656/3-
Cultural-Differences-Strengths-Weaknesses_html?inline=1

Nelson-Field, K. 2020. How Advertising Works (so far). The Attention Economy and How
Media Works: Simple Truths for Marketers, pp.45-53.

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Nguyen, L.T.D., 2011. Marketing mix across cultures: A case study: Binh Quoi Tourist
Village's wedding services to France and Japan.

Pandey, R., Rao, K.S., Er, C.C., Kee, D.M.H., Chua, W.J., Hon, H.S., Tan, C.Y., Tayal, S., Sariya,
S. and Narendath, P., 2021. A case study of consumer satisfaction of Kentucky Fried
Chicken. *International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality in Asia Pacific (IJTHAP)*,
4(2), pp.98-111.

Roberts, L. (2020) 'How to Prepare and Strategize for Academic Promotion,' in Roberts
Academic Medicine Handbook. Springer, Cham, pp. 461–468. A vailable at:
10.1007/978-3-030-31957-1_52.

Rui, Y., Huang, H., Lu, M., Wang, B. & Wang, J., 2016. A Comparative Analysis of the
Distributions of KFC and McDonald’s Outlets in China. ISPRS International Journal of
Geo-Information, 5(3), p.27. Available at: doi.org/10.3390/ijgi5030027.

Sheridan, N. 2024. ‘KFC Marketing Strategy 2024: A Case Study’ Latterly,

https://www.latterly.org/kfc-marketing-strategy/ [Accessed 8 July 2024].

Warrink, D., 2015. The marketing mix in a marketing 3.0 context (Bachelor's thesis,
University of Twente).

Wells, T. 2024. Why KFC Reigns Supreme in Japan: A Finger-Lickin‘ Good Success Story.
Available at: https://www.marketingscoop.com/consumer/why-is-kfc-so-popular-in-
japan/ [Accessed: 8 July 2024].

Yamazaki, Y. (2020) Japan Christmas With KFC, Getty Images.

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/christmas-meal-boxes-are-
pictured-on-december-23-2020-in-news-photo/1292729464?adppopup=true.

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