Nivera Wallani
President & General Manager, KFC Canada
KFC’s impressive and growing list of sustainable practices — from ethical and local sourcing to environmentally-friendly packaging — is helping to protect our planet.
Protecting the planet is one of KFC’s core values, and over the last several years the company has made great strides in lessening its environmental footprint. From how it sources its ingredients and packaging materials to food-saving initiatives and energy-efficient operations, KFC’s impressive efforts in sustainability are leading the industry and setting a positive example for other quick service restaurants.
It all starts with ethical sourcing and great partners
“We’re on a continuous journey to lessen our environmental footprint and believe that, as one of the largest global restaurant brands, we can make a tremendous impact in our local communities and globally,” says Nivera Wallani, President and General Manager of KFC Canada.
KFC’s strict ethical sourcing standards starts with their ingredients. In addition to sourcing 100% Canadian chicken, their wheat is also Canadian-grown and milled, and packaged here in Canada. The bags in which the flour is packaged are also ethically sourced, and KFC uses only 100 percent Canadian-grown, crushed, and packaged canola oil.
With over 25,000 restaurants across 145 countries and territories, we can make a tremendous impact in positively affecting the communities in which we operate. But we can’t do it alone,” says Wallani. “Partners are a critical part of the journey — from suppliers to franchisees to guests.” KFC’s partners can all trace their products down to the specific farmers growing the seeds.
KFC also takes food waste extremely seriously and donates its surplus chicken to charities within its local communities through its Harvest program.
A commitment to reusable, recyclable, and compostable packaging
KFC’s focus on making its packaging recoverable (recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable) and reusable is another major area where the company is leading the Canadian industry in change. KFC Canada recently announced that by 2025, all consumer-facing packaging will be fully home compostable, and the first home compostable bucket will begin piloting this year. This bold commitment will divert nearly 200 million pieces of packaging from Canadian landfills each year.
“We’re the first quick service restaurant to make this commitment and we hope it encourages our peers in the industry to follow suit,” says Wallani. “Together, we’ll be able to have the greatest impact across the industry and our Canadian communities at large.”
KFC has been leading the industry in sustainable packaging since 2019, when it removed all plastic straws and bags from its restaurants. The company has also committed to sourcing 100 percent of its fibre-based packaging from sustainable sources by 2020.
