KFC’s Kentucky Fish and Chips Pop-Up Raises $40k for Surf Life Saving NZ

Thousands of New Zealanders travelled from as far as Hamilton to get their hands on KFC’s limited edition Kentucky Fish & Chips — raising $40,000 for Surf Life Saving New Zealand. 

KF&C was a two-day fundraising pop-up delivered by KFC, Stanley St and Special PR at Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Club.

It offered the catch of summer - fresh Tarakihifish battered in the Colonel’s 11 secret herbs and spices and paired with KFC’s iconic seasoned chips.

The perfect weather and eagerness to try the limited-time offering saw several ‘campers’ opting to set up picnic tables and chairs from 9 am to get their hands on the product first.

Holly Knowles, KFC's senior brand manager, revealed they were forced to switch on a contingency plan to deal with the crowds.

“The line was at least 90 minutes long before we even opened our doors at midday on Friday. We even had people drive to Auckland’s North Shore from Hamilton, so we immediately knew we needed to upgrade our existing plan” said Holly. “We had to ensure it was a safe event for everyone - so we doubled security, sourced crowd control barriers and upped our food order to meet the demand.

“Despite our best efforts, we still sold out late on Saturday afternoon. We’d like to apologise to anyone disappointed — but don’t worry, we’ll cook up another surprise again soon.”

While fish and chips won’t be a regular offering from KFC, the campaign was launched as a fundraising initiative to support its longstanding charity partner Surf Life Saving New Zealand.

The volunteer-based organisation is a welcomed sight for Kiwis on New Zealand beaches, clocking up over 240,000 hours of service last summer. $40,000 was raised for Surf Life Saving will support their vital training, public education and operational costs.

Holly Knowles continued, “Our marketing always focuses on creating experiences that not only lean into the community but align with Kiwi culture. The reaction is a testament to the truth of our brand - it’s ‘the power of KFC’ - and we’re so lucky to be guardians of that.”