KFC currently operates 17 locations across Zambia: 13 in the Lusaka
area (including the new KFC Mazabuka, which opened in September) and
four in the Copperbelt region
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, October 20, 2026/ —
- KFC is bringing new investment to Zambia, with more locations,
world-class operational expertise and hundreds of jobs. - With 17 restaurants across Lusaka and the Copperbelt, and 25 more in
the pipeline, KFC is making a long-term commitment to Zambia and
demonstrating its confidence in the country’s future growth. - Streetwise is the platform making KFC accessible and relevant to
everyday Zambians across all income levels. - Local leadership, skills transfer and local supply chain development
are central to KFC’s long-term presence in Zambia.
KFC (http://KFC.co.za) is launching a new growth phase Pa Zed,
showing up bigger, bolder and more locally rooted than ever before.
The brand is bringing significant investment, an expanded restaurant
footprint, and a commitment to becoming part of Zambian culture and
everyday life.
And Streetwise is central to the story, as the platform that makes KFC
accessible and relevant to everyday Zambians across all income levels.
It’s how KFC moves beyond being an occasional treat to becoming part
of how Zambians live and make their way.
“Zambian consumers are resourceful,” says Akhona Qengqe, KFC Africa
General Manager. “They make a plan, they make a little go a long way,
and they keep moving forward. Streetwise is us saying: we respect that
hustle. We’re built for your life, not the other way around.”
Qengqe says KFC’s investment in Zambia is about confidence in the
market and in the brand’s ability to be relevant to Zambians.
“Streetwise is how we earn that relevance. It’s not about competing
on price alone, it’s about building a brand Zambians turn to as part
of their everyday life,” she says.
Expanding Pa Zed
KFC currently operates 17 locations across Zambia: 13 in the Lusaka area
(including the new KFC Mazabuka, which opened in September) and four in
the Copperbelt region.
The pipeline of 25 new restaurants tells a much bigger story. As well as
several more locations in Lusaka, residents of Chingola, Solwezi,
Livingstone and Kapiri Mposhi will soon have new KFCs. A further 12
identified sites will expand the brand’s footprint across the country.
Qengqe says every new restaurant creates about 30 jobs, about 60% of
which usually go to women. “But a job at KFC isn’t just a job.
It’s an opportunity, especially at a moment like this when KFC is
making clear its long-term ambitions in Zambia,” she says.
“Our commitment is to develop experienced local teams and create
pathways for talented Zambians to advance.”
South African team members supporting some restaurants are there for
only one reason, says Qengqe: to transfer expertise and strengthen
Zambian operations. “The goal is clear: build restaurants led by
Zambians, managed by Zambians, rooted in Zambian communities.”
Embedded in Africa
With about 1,600 restaurants across 22 sub-Saharan markets, and the
ambition to increase that number to 3,000 by 2035, KFC Africa is deeply
embedded in the continent’s economic fabric.
“In Zambia specifically, we’re aggressively developing local supply
chains to strengthen the agricultural sector and empower local
businesses,” says Qengqe.
“We’re committed to building supply ecosystems that reduce
dependence on imports and create lasting prosperity, and this new
chapter in Zambia is an expression of that promise.”
Today, more than ever before, KFC is Zambia. Get the taste.
