Colonel Sanders: Founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken
Business Owner · Food & Beverage
Colonel Sanders began selling fried chicken from a roadside restaurant in North Corbin, Kentucky, franchised it from 1952, and sold KFC in 1964 for $2 million at age 73.
About Colonel Sanders: Founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken
Harland David Sanders (September 9, 1890 to December 16, 1980), commonly known as Colonel Sanders, was an American entrepreneur and the founder of the fast-food chicken chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). He later acted as the company's brand ambassador and symbol, and his name and image remain symbols of KFC today. Sanders held a number of jobs in his early life, including steam engine stoker, insurance salesman and filling-station operator. During the Great Depression he began selling fried chicken from his roadside restaurant in North Corbin, Kentucky, where he developed his "secret recipe" and his patented method of cooking chicken in a pressure fryer. Recognizing the potential of restaurant franchising, he saw the first KFC franchise open in South Salt Lake, Utah, in 1952; when his original restaurant closed, he devoted himself full time to franchising his fried chicken across the country. The company's rapid expansion across the United States and overseas became overwhelming for the aging Sanders, and in 1964, at age 73, he sold it to a group of investors led by John Y. Brown Jr. and Jack C. Massey for US$2 million. He kept control of operations in Canada and became a salaried brand ambassador. In his later years he grew highly critical of the food served at KFC restaurants and of the cost-cutting measures he said reduced its quality. Sources: English Wikipedia (Colonel Sanders, accessed September 2026).
Basic Information
Founder, Kentucky Fried Chicken (1890-1980)
Company Details
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)
Fast Food, Franchising
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