Yum Testing New KFC Concept

Yum Brands Inc. (Lousville, Ky.), parent company of KFC, is testing a new concept it’s calling “KFC eleven.”

In the next two months, the company will open two units near its headquarters city that resemble the look and feel of Panera Bread or Chipotle.

According to USA Today, “the design is more contemporary inside and out, with more wood and brick. The familiar red-and-white color scheme will be replaced with softer earth tones, according to KFC president John Cywinski.

And although the “eleven” in the name is a reference to the 11 herbs and spices in the original Colonel Sanders fried chicken recipe, there will be on references to the colonel, nor any fried chicken. Instead, the menu will feature more fresh salads and flatbread sandwiches.

“We're asking ourselves: ‘How do we become more relevant to a younger consumer?’ ” Cywinski told USA Today. He said KFC is also eager to attract more women and appeal to a more free-spending demographic.