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KFC drones give a whole new meaning to the concept of chicken wings

Collins Food Group will follow Domino’s moves in New Zealand and will start delivering KFC by drone in some Brisbane suburbs.

Feb 04, 2022, updated Feb 04, 2022
Drone delivery by Wing would now include KFC in some Brisbane suburbs

Drone delivery by Wing would now include KFC in some Brisbane suburbs

The scheme may sound like a gimmick but it has tangible benefits. The drones can carry deliveries above traffic at 110km/h and have reduced delivery times by half.

Collins managing director Drew O’Malley said it was early days for the project but it was more than a gimmick.

“This is really about the customer and fits in with KFC being more of a convenience play. So, it’s all about accessibility and for us it fits hand-in-glove with our digital delivery strategy,” he said.

“Digital delivery is about 16 per cent of sales and we see it as being a huge driver for the brand and category.”

Collins will use Google subsidiary Wing in the scheme. It has been operating out of a Logan base as well as Canberra for several years.

A separate scheme run by a pharmacy in Goondiwindi allows it to deliver goods by drone to people at distant locations.

The KFC scheme will deliver within a group of suburbs around Logan, namely Kingston, Logan Central, Slacks Creek, Underwood and Woodridge at no extra cost. It would also mean the adoption of a “cloud kitchen”, also known as a dark kitchen, which does delivery-only orders without a traditional restaurant or dining-in facility.

“It is early days, but we think the technology is only going to improve. There will be increased carrying capacity, longer battery life and it will have larger delivery areas which means more restaurants will be able to accommodate this.

“It’s a novelty now but in five or 10 years’ time you won’t think twice about it. The same with ApplePay or tap and go, which a few years ago didn’t exist.

“We do expect it to expand. There are still some logistics to work through for widespread adoption, like different geographic areas and different regulations on drone adoption, but this is a ground-breaking step forward in allowing our customers to access KFC. It’s not a gimmick for us. We think it is something that has legs.

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“Digital and contactless delivery are key long-term growth drivers for our business and this is a step evolution to strengthen our capability in that area.”

KFC Australia managing director Richard Wallis said consumer behaviours had shifted during COVID and convenience was key.

Under the scheme the delivery will reach the destination and hover at seven metres above the ground. The package would then be lowered on a tether and released, generally in the driveway of front yard.

The ordering would be done either through KFC or the Wing app.

 

Early signs are that it has reduced our end-to-end delivery times by more than half so it can delivery fresher food more conveniently.

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