COVID-19 highlighted importance of brand trust: KFC SOPAC chief food innovation and technical officer Fritz Meyer
Find how out KFC plans to get past current challenges at the QSR Media Sandhurst Conference.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how customers need to able to trust a restaurant brand’s food and the overall eating experience, according to KFC SOPAC chief food innovation and technical officer Fritz Meyer.
Meyer is joining the QSR Media Sandhurst Conference & Awards’ Menu Innovation panel, which includes Nando’s Australia food head Mario Manabe, Krispy Kreme Australia product marketing manager Jasmin Clements, Sean Hall, head of culinary for Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group and Sandhurst Fine Foods CEO Mimmo Lubrano.
Get to know Meyer in this brief Q&A below:
QSR Media: What has drawn you to get involved in the multi-site restaurant industry?
Meyer: Working in QSR was something which was very different for me. After 30 years of working in the food industry, it was time to challenge myself with something new, different and exciting. I could apply the skills I’d acquired working with some of the best known companies in the food industry to a sector where some of the same principles applied. The great appeals for me were the amazing culture at KFC, the pace at which things happen in QSR and the privilege to be customer facing via restaurants.
What are some of the industry issues you're thinking about at the moment? What are some developments you're seeing that the industry should take a closer look at?
From a food perspective, making sure that our food is always tasty and craveable. At KFC, we say that our food needs to be R.E.D. - Relevant, Easy and Distinctive.
We look at all of our products, both current and future through this lens from a customer and team member perspective. COVID-19 has certainly highlighted the importance that customers consider trust. We need to ensure that as well as being tasty, we have all of our processes in place which reinforce that customers can trust our food and the overall eating experience.
What can we expect from your participation at the Media Sandhurst Conference & Awards? What are some things you're excited to do there?
I look forward to sharing some of the insights on the success KFC has had with its food and its innovation around its food in recent years. I am excited about this being a “virtual event” rather than face-to-face and being able to overcome the associated challenges. Also, (I am) very much looking forward to hearing the other speakers and presentations.
The country’s largest event for the QSR industry goes digital. Join the QSR Media Sandhurst Conference & Awards: A Virtual Event by registering here!
