Yum! Brands Inc. (YUM) recently went shopping for some real estate in Norf
olk, Va., offering $1 million for a nice little corner parcel in downtown Norfolk.
When they found out who owned the property they immediately sensed trouble brewing. According to this NYTimes.com article, Yum, the company that owns the Kentucky Fried Chicken chain learned that the property on the corner of Monticello Avenue and 20th Street was owned by none other than the PETA Foundation, an animal rights activist group that has targeted KFC repeatedly.
Their campaign, dubbed Kentucky Fried Cruelty, has sought to force the chain to adopt more stringent animal welfare guidelines. In the four years the campaign has been under way PETA has staged thousands of protests outside KFC restaurants and include protestors such as Pamela Anderson, the Dalai Lama and the Beastie Boys.
So what did PETA do with the offer? They countered with an offer to give up the warehouse for free if KFC would bend to their will. To quote, “PETA would be willing to give Yum this warehouse — free and clear — if KFC requires its chicken suppliers to adopt the recommendations made by members of its own animal Welfare Advisory Council on March 11, 2005. A copy of these recommendations is enclosed for your reference, ” PETA said in its letter.
The rebuttal? From the article, “We don’t do business with corporate terrorists and, therefore, we no longer have any interest in this property,” said Laurie Schalow, a KFC spokeswoman. She said KFC bought its chickens from the same “trusted brands” that consumers buy in local supermarkets.
“KFC is committed to the well-being and humane treatment of chickens,” Ms. Schalow said. “We’re proud of our responsible, industry-leading animal welfare guidelines.”
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