Thai Beverage Public Company Limited, the Thai drinks group behind Chang beer and SangSom rum, is reportedly considering selling its KFC franchise business in Thailand.

Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter, said ThaiBev is working with Bank of America to assess potential buyer interest. The discussions are ongoing and may not result in a transaction.

The business is operated by QSR of Asia Company Limited (QSA), part of ThaiBev's food division. QSA runs more than 500 KFC branches nationwide, making it the country's largest KFC franchise holder.

Buyer interest is being tested

ThaiBev is controlled by billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi and bought 240 KFC branches in 2017 for about 11.4 billion baht.

QSA is one of three KFC franchise holders in Thailand. The other operators are Central Plaza Hotel Public Company Limited and Restaurants Development Company Limited, which is backed by Devyani International.

No sale has been announced, and Bloomberg's report did not suggest that branches would close or that there would be immediate changes for customers. A sale of ThaiBev's KFC operation, if completed, would transfer the business to a new owner rather than remove the chain from the market.

Food division delivers thin returns

Kaohoon International reported that ThaiBev's food segment, including the KFC business, recorded attributable profit of 54 million baht from sales of 11,325 million baht in the six months to March 31, 2026.

That works out at a margin of about 0.5%. The segment accounted for just 0.34% of ThaiBev's total group profit of 15,965 million baht during the same period, highlighting its relatively low returns compared with the group's beverage operations.

Bloomberg reported in 2020 that Restaurants Development had also considered selling its Thailand KFC franchise business, then valued at about US$200 million. It was reported at the time to operate around 200 branches and employ roughly 4,000 people nationwide.

No comment from ThaiBev

ThaiBev had not replied to Bloomberg's request for comment on the latest report, while Bank of America declined to comment.

KFC is operated globally by Louisville, Kentucky-based Yum Brands, which also runs Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.

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22 July 2026

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0.5% profit margin? No wonder the chicken pieces keep getting smaller. 🍗

33 minutes ago, Nemises said:

0.5% profit margin? No wonder the chicken pieces keep getting smaller. 🍗

That´s how it is when you need to employ three people to make a one person work

Maybe CP will put in a bid; but probably not a big enough profit margin for the CP appetite.

3 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

That works out at a margin of about 0.5%.

"Keep the corporate tax bill under 1,000 baht per year" - said the CEO to the accountant 🙄

39 minutes ago, JimHuaHin said:

Maybe CP will put in a bid; but probably not a big enough profit margin for the CP appetite.

I had heard KFC was losing popularity, so perhaps a good price is to be had. I tend to recall Ben Elton comments on KFC.

Edited July 22Jul 22 by jacko45k

52 minutes ago, JimHuaHin said:

Maybe CP will put in a bid; but probably not a big enough profit margin for the CP appetite.

Nah, they will be looking at the real numbers. 😂

The last time I ate that junk was in Kuala Lumpur before going into a movie theater, we didn't have enough time to eat and we realized we were both starving so we bought some and smuggled it into the theater. After starting to eat it we both looked at each other and said what is this, it doesn't taste anything like chicken. My Thai wife said it was the worst chicken she had ever had in her lifetime.

In America they found out that they were using a featherless, and beakless variety of creature, and the FDA warned Kentucky Fried Chicken that they could no longer use the name due to the fact that they couldn't identify what kind of creature that actually was. They were legally required to remove the name chicken from the title therefore it became KFC.

1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

The last time I ate that junk was in Kuala Lumpur before going into a movie theater, we didn't have enough time to eat and we realized we were both starving so we bought some and smuggled it into the theater. After starting to eat it we both looked at each other and said what is this, it doesn't taste anything like chicken. My Thai wife said it was the worst chicken she had ever had in her lifetime.

In America they found out that they were using a featherless, and beakless variety of creature, and the FDA warned Kentucky Fried Chicken that they could no longer use the name due to the fact that they couldn't identify what kind of creature that actually was. They were legally required to remove the name chicken from the title therefore it became KFC.

The less I think about this the better!

47 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

The last time I ate that junk was in Kuala Lumpur before going into a movie theater, we didn't have enough time to eat and we realized we were both starving so we bought some and smuggled it into the theater. After starting to eat it we both looked at each other and said what is this, it doesn't taste anything like chicken. My Thai wife said it was the worst chicken she had ever had in her lifetime.

In America they found out that they were using a featherless, and beakless variety of creature, and the FDA warned Kentucky Fried Chicken that they could no longer use the name due to the fact that they couldn't identify what kind of creature that actually was. They were legally required to remove the name chicken from the title therefore it became KFC.

Apparently the idea was to create an animal that was easier, faster and cheaper to process. And it just goes to show you how deviant, corrupt and untrustworthy the FDA is in America.

Avoid KFC. It is garbage food.

Interesting. I always assumed Minor Foods was the majority owner in Thailand.

Of all the fast food chains, KFC must be the cheapest for Thai consumers (e.g. compared with Burger King, McDonalds, etc.). I stopped eating at the Thai KFCs because the chicken was usually not fully cooked and a bit raw inside. Having said that, I noticed the same thing at a location in Vietnam.

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People know MSG is bad for your health and KFC is full of MSG....People are not stupid now...

KFC is loaded to the gills with MSG

My guess is Minor Group will at least take a look at it. CP will consider it but it probably would only interest CP if they’re able to integrate the poultry supply chain. But they may already be the main supplier. Who knows.

19 minutes ago, ronnie50 said:

Interesting. I always assumed Minor Foods was the majority owner in Thailand.

Of all the fast food chains, KFC must be the cheapest for Thai consumers (e.g. compared with Burger King, McDonalds, etc.). I stopped eating at the Thai KFCs because the chicken was usually not fully cooked and a bit raw inside. Having said that, I noticed the same thing at a location in Vietnam.

There is nothing cheap about Burger King, McDonalds these days..For the full meal deals they are both pretty expensive...Only the ice cream is cheap.

Edited July 22Jul 22 by redwood1

.....and it has got ice in, but no cream, or anything out of a cow.

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

the FDA warned Kentucky Fried Chicken that they could no longer use the name due to the fact that they couldn't identify what kind of creature that actually was.

Do you have a verified citation for this story?

What I found:

"In the late 1990s and early 2000s, an email and message board rumor began claiming that KFC was using genetically modified organisms (GMOs)—specifically multi-legged, featherless, and beakless blobs—rather than real birds. This has been definitively debunked by Snopes, and KFC has even won lawsuits against companies spreading these false images."

"A separate rumor falsely claims the government banned the company from calling its product "chicken" because of those alleged GMO."

I won't miss KFC... it can go!😎

Bring back Texas Chicken....

16 minutes ago, redwood1 said:

Bring back Texas Chicken....

AKA Church's of San Antonio, Texas in US. But didn't fare so well here.

about KFC: Great cole slaw.

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

The last time I ate that junk was in Kuala Lumpur before going into a movie theater, we didn't have enough time to eat and we realized we were both starving so we bought some and smuggled it into the theater. After starting to eat it we both looked at each other and said what is this, it doesn't taste anything like chicken. My Thai wife said it was the worst chicken she had ever had in her lifetime.

In America they found out that they were using a featherless, and beakless variety of creature, and the FDA warned Kentucky Fried Chicken that they could no longer use the name due to the fact that they couldn't identify what kind of creature that actually was. They were legally required to remove the name chicken from the title therefore it became KFC.

No. KFC was never legally required to remove the word "chicken" from its name. The 1991 rebrand from Kentucky Fried Chicken to KFC was a strategic business decision designed to distance the brand from the word "fried" due to shifting consumer health trends, and to promote items other than just poultry. [1, 2]

The claim that they couldn't use the word "chicken" is a popular urban legend often tied to conspiracy theories about genetically modified mutant birds. [1, 2]

1 hour ago, newnative said:

No. KFC was never legally required to remove the word "chicken" from its name. The 1991 rebrand from Kentucky Fried Chicken to KFC was a strategic business decision designed to distance the brand from the word "fried" due to shifting consumer health trends, and to promote items other than just poultry. [1, 2]

The claim that they couldn't use the word "chicken" is a popular urban legend often tied to conspiracy theories about genetically modified mutant birds. [1, 2]

And I have a really incredible bridge that I can sell you for just 8,000 baht. Interested?

Very creepy KFC advertisement

Synopsis of the creepy KFC commercial:

KFC’s "All Hail Gravy" campaign, unleashed in March 2025 in the U.K., is a 120-second fever dream where robed figures worship a golden egg before dunking a man into a gravy lake, transforming him into a Mini Fillet—an over-the-top flex of brand fanaticism. Directed by Vedran Rupic and concocted by Mother, it’s a Gen Z-targeted shockfest that’s less clever than it thinks, leaning hard into grotesque absurdity under the guise of humor. While it spiked KFC’s modernity score by 10% and U.K. sales by 5% in Q4 2024, it also racked up nearly 600 complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority for its off-putting, cultish vibes. Critics argue it’s a tasteless misstep, alienating more viewers than it charms with its try-hard edginess and muddled messaging. They’ve not just crossed a line into cannibalism and satanic territory—they’ve cannonballed into a vat of bad taste that’s tough to swallow.

Edited July 22Jul 22 by save the frogs

9 hours ago, jacko45k said:

The less I think about this the better!

No need because the story is a lie. It never happened.

8 hours ago, redwood1 said:

People know MSG is bad for your health and KFC is full of MSG....People are not stupid now...

KFC is loaded to the gills with MSG

The idea that MSG (monosodium glutamate) is bad for you is largely a myth. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies MSG as "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS). Health authorities worldwide, including the World Health Organization (WHO), agree that normal consumption is safe and poses no long-term health risks for the general public

In fact, MSG is naturally found in everyday foods like tomatoes, mushrooms, and aged cheeses. It can even be a helpful tool in a balanced diet, as it contains about one-third the sodium of table salt and can be used to reduce overall sodium intake while maintaining a savory, "umami" flavor.

Edited July 22Jul 22 by Nick Carter icp

9 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

The last time I ate that junk was in Kuala Lumpur before going into a movie theater, we didn't have enough time to eat and we realized we were both starving so we bought some and smuggled it into the theater. After starting to eat it we both looked at each other and said what is this, it doesn't taste anything like chicken. My Thai wife said it was the worst chicken she had ever had in her lifetime.

In America they found out that they were using a featherless, and beakless variety of creature, and the FDA warned Kentucky Fried Chicken that they could no longer use the name due to the fact that they couldn't identify what kind of creature that actually was. They were legally required to remove the name chicken from the title therefore it became KFC.

What is wrong with you? Seriously, what is wrong with you that you continually present false information as if it was reliable. You are unable to differentiate between fantasy and reality. Is it mental illness? Drugs? A need to be seen as an authority? Why would you make claims that are false and easily verifiable as false?

The KFC story has been shown to be a hoax. The parallel claims by 3 Chinese companies that used fake photos and made the claim of KFC using mutant chickens were deal with in the courts and KFC won its case. KFC's supply chain is known. It doesn't raise chickens. It purchases the chickens from the same producers that deliver chicken to consumers.

https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/kfc-wins-lawsuit-over-mutant-chicken-rumour/news-story/8ab88e2ebb51757b06c348483b98ca7e

https://www.businessinsider.com/kfc-mutant-chicken-rumors-are-not-real-2016-2

Your claims may be embraced by gullible idiots who want to believe the worst, but it has reached the point where your stories are so deceitful as to suggest a malicious intent.

4 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

Your claims may be embraced by gullible idiots who want to believe the worst, but it has reached the point where your stories are so deceitful as to suggest a malicious intent.

Maybe he owned stocks in KFC and lost money.

Or he hit on a girl working at KFC and she turned him down.

8 hours ago, Front Row said:

My guess is Minor Group will at least take a look at it. CP will consider it but it probably would only interest CP if they’re able to integrate the poultry supply chain. But they may already be the main supplier. Who knows.

I Reckon PTT will be also taking a look too, after all they shutdown Texas Chicken due to poor market share (KFC has 90% in Thailand).

20 hours ago, Nemises said:

0.5% profit margin? No wonder the chicken pieces keep getting smaller

They should get bigger man