Chapter 420: Acquiring KFC
"Alright. Can I ask—what kind of investment are you making in the U.S.? Is it in real estate?" Zheng Zhijie asked eagerly.
Yang Wendong chuckled. "Not real estate. More precisely, it's related to food. Zhou Haoran will be taking the lead, but it also involves property to some extent, so I want you to come along and take a look."
Zheng Zhijie smiled. "Sure. When do we leave?"
"In the next few days," Yang Wendong replied. "Once Cathay Pacific finishes maintenance checks on the aircraft, we'll depart together."
—
December 4, Yang Wendong, Zhou Haoran, Zheng Zhijie, and a team of over twenty people arrived at Kai Tak Airport. A chartered plane was already fueled and prepped for departure.
"Mr. Yang, the aircraft has passed all inspections," said a Westerner approaching him. Interestingly, his English bore a distinct American accent.
Yang Wendong smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Allen. Let's board."
Allen, along with another American technician, was a high-paid aircraft maintenance engineer whom Yang Wendong had poached from a U.S. airline. Their job was to remain in Hong Kong permanently, doing nothing day-to-day but performing comprehensive inspections of any leased aircraft before Yang or his family boarded.
They were also required to accompany him on all flights, staying at five-star hotels wherever they landed. All personal expenses—within reason—would be reimbursed.
The core purpose? Ensuring his and his family's safety. Though costly, for someone of Yang Wendong's wealth, it was just a drop in the bucket.
And when he eventually bought his own aircraft, this protocol would remain unchanged.
"OK, boss," Allen replied, signaling for his colleague to board.
Once everyone was on the plane, the two engineers moved to the rear of the cabin, staying out of sight. Yang Wendong and the others settled in for the long journey.
At this point in time, non-stop flights from Hong Kong to the U.S. didn't exist. Travelers had to stop for fuel in Tokyo and Alaska before reaching Los Angeles. A trip to New York would require even more stops.
So even in a chartered jet, the journey took over 24 hours—closer to 27, factoring in delays and scheduling with air traffic control. It wasn't as simple as "refuel and go."
—
27 hours later, the group landed at LAX (Los Angeles International Airport), where Lin Youtian, Changxing's U.S.-based representative, met them with a team of staff.
"Mr. Yang, the hotel is ready," Lin said after getting everyone into their cars. He then sat in the back with Yang Wendong and added, "Mr. Sanders is already in Los Angeles. I've arranged a meeting for tomorrow, so you'll have the night to rest."
"Perfect. Thanks," Yang replied with a smile. "Even though it was a private flight, sitting for over 20 hours is still exhausting."
Chartered planes in this era were not true private jets. They had better seats, but couldn't recline flat. So while it saved some time, the comfort level was only slightly better than first class, mainly due to having fewer people around.
Lin nodded. "True. If only Hong Kong were closer to the U.S., a small private jet might have sufficed."
"Modern private jets are still too small and unsafe for these long flights," Yang shook his head. "Turbulence is rough on those. Maybe in a few years, when aviation tech improves."
Even by modern standards, small jets like the Gulfstream G650, while advanced and comfortable, were notorious for violent turbulence during long flights. Future advances in weather forecasting would help, but in this era, Yang preferred to wait.
For now, the best option would be a Boeing 737-based private jet, but that legendary plane hadn't even been released yet. He wasn't traveling between the U.S. and Asia that frequently anyway. In a few years, when both his business needs and cash flow increased, he could consider it. Plus, buying in the U.S. came with tax advantages.
—
After a night's rest at a luxury hotel, Yang Wendong and Bai Yujie were feeling refreshed. They stepped onto the balcony of the presidential suite, which offered a 270° panoramic view of Hollywood's iconic sign, the distant ocean, and the surrounding cityscape.
Stretching her arms out, Bai Yujie smiled and said, "Dong-ge, this view in Los Angeles is really something. Mountains, sea, and city all in one."
"Isn't Hong Kong the same?" Yang Wendong asked with a grin.
"It is," she admitted. "But the cityscape here feels more expansive. The hills are taller, and you can see much farther."
Yang chuckled. "Hong Kong's a small city. Most of the land is still forest and hills. The residential zones are tiny, so of course it can't compete with a sprawling city in a big country."
"Mmm," Bai Yujie nodded, then looked toward the Hollywood sign. "I've heard about Hollywood for years. I want to go see it."
"I do too," Yang said. "But let's finish our business first. Then we can go explore."
"Okay," Bai Yujie agreed, knowing that business came first. Then she asked, "Dong-ge, is this KFC company really worth a trip all the way to America? You're personally negotiating?"
She had already been briefed on the plane. The main reason for this U.S. trip was to acquire a company called KFC. She'd read the company dossier—while decent, it didn't seem like something that warranted Yang's personal involvement.
"It's true that KFC isn't very big," Yang Wendong admitted. "If you look only at the scale, there's no need for me to be here. But what I value is their operational model—something the founder, Colonel Sanders, developed through years of hard work.
I want to sit down with him directly and understand his philosophy."
"So it's more about this Sanders person than the business itself?" Bai Yujie asked. She knew that some companies were more about the people than the products.
"That's right," Yang nodded.
"But Colonel Sanders is almost 70 years old, right? He can't keep working much longer," she said.
"If he were younger, he probably wouldn't be selling the company at all," Yang replied. "You give some, you take some. Even if he steps down, he can still help guide the team. What's more important is that the core team he trained stays with us."
The main purpose of this U.S. trip was the acquisition of KFC.
After arriving in this world, Yang had recorded a shortlist of major future corporations—maybe a few dozen. But many were in industries he couldn't touch—like oil, banking, heavy industry, or automobiles.
Once those were eliminated, and once you removed companies from the tech and internet sectors that hadn't even been founded yet, the list of targets got very short.
So, every week, he read English-language newspapers, scanning for anything that might trigger buried memories. One day, by chance, he came across a KFC article and learned that its founder was looking to sell the company.
He immediately sent Lin Youtian to establish contact.
After several months of negotiation, both parties had reached agreements on many points. It was only at this stage that Yang Wendong stepped in to personally take charge.
He was genuinely interested in the future of the KFC brand. Not only was it highly profitable, but it also had the potential to create large-scale employment opportunities, and could serve as an entry point into valuable real estate markets around the world under the guise of franchise expansion.
"Mm." Bai Yujie didn't press for more.
By noon, Yang Wendong and Bai Yujie, led by Lin Youtian, arrived at a KFC outlet located in downtown Los Angeles. A white-haired old man was already seated at a window-side table, waiting for them.
"Mr. Yang, this is Colonel Harland Sanders, the founder of KFC," Lin Youtian introduced fluently in English. "Colonel, this is Mr. Yang, my employer, whom I mentioned to you previously."
"Yes, you've mentioned him many times, Mr. Lin," Colonel Sanders said as he stood up, extending his hand. "Mr. Yang, it's a pleasure to finally meet you."
"The pleasure is mine," Yang Wendong replied, shaking hands firmly.
Lin Youtian served as the intermediary, offering a few more formal introductions before everyone took their seats.
Colonel Sanders smiled and said, "Mr. Yang, strictly speaking, it's not ideal to discuss business inside one of our own outlets, but since this deal concerns all 600 KFC locations across the U.S., I thought it best you experience the product for yourself. Mr. Lin has already visited dozens of locations across the country."
Lin nodded. "That's right. During my business trips, I made a point to taste KFC in different states, even outside the scope of this acquisition."
"That's fine, I don't mind," Yang Wendong said. "Actually, I quite like the taste of grilled chicken."
Having dined on gourmet food for years, Yang Wendong occasionally preferred street food or diner-style meals—just for a change of pace. As long as the hygiene was acceptable, there was no need to compare everything to a five-star hotel.
There was a well-known saying from his previous life: "In the mainland, KFC is the cleanest affordable eatery that the average person can access." While the food wasn't perfect, the sanitary standards of major chains far exceeded those of local eateries.
"Haha, excellent," Sanders chuckled and waved over a blonde waitress. She nodded and went to prepare the order.
"Please give it a few minutes," Sanders said. "KFC is fast food—meals come out quickly."
"All your chicken, burgers, and sides—they're all pre-prepped in the back, right?" Yang Wendong asked.
"Of course," Sanders replied. "The kitchen crew starts very early to prepare the food. As for produce and raw ingredients, they're delivered daily from regional suppliers. The entire supply chain is refrigerated to maintain low temperatures."
"But I heard about a food spoilage incident in New York last year, and I believe it even ended up in court?" Yang asked, probing deeper.
If he was going to acquire the business, he needed to understand its risks. Even a minor lawsuit could be used as leverage—to negotiate a lower price or gain additional guarantees.
Sanders nodded. "Yes, that case was quite serious. After our internal investigation, we discovered the problem originated at the supplier. Unfortunately, our random quality checks didn't catch it."
"That's a significant vulnerability. Have any corrective measures been implemented?" Yang followed up.
Sanders replied, "We switched suppliers and have imposed stricter requirements on them. But honestly, this is outside our direct control. Our final-stage inspections can only catch so much—it really comes down to luck."
"So the core problem is at the factory level?" Yang pressed further. "Does KFC own any factories?"
Sanders shook his head. "No. We can't afford that. It's a matter of scale—we'd need a dense network of nearby outlets to justify building a centralized facility. At present, even with 600 locations, we only have a small processing plant near headquarters—and I'm just a part-owner."
"I see." Yang nodded thoughtfully. "It's true. Without sufficient scale, a chain can't afford to control its supply chain entirely."
It was like manufacturing—scale was everything. Only when operations were big enough could you consider moving upstream. Doing it prematurely would just drive up costs.
But growing a brand without controlling raw materials was the hardest challenge of all. Very few companies could pull it off.
"If I were younger, I'd keep fighting," Sanders said with a sigh.
"Creating a brand like KFC is already a tremendous achievement," Yang said warmly. "Now, let's talk business?"
Just then, the waitress returned with trays full of food. Sanders gestured for everyone to dig in. "Let's eat while we talk."
Yang nodded and began. "Colonel Sanders, I heard that in addition to financial compensation, you have other requirements for the sale?"
Sanders nodded. "Yes. I'm willing to sell, but I want to ensure that KFC continues to grow. My dream was for it to become America's largest fast food chain.
That dream was limited by my age and my inability to secure enough investment. So even after all these years, we only have 600 stores—far fewer than our competitors."
"That's not a problem. My goal is to make KFC a global brand," Yang said directly. "Why else would I travel halfway around the world for this?"
"Good. But I'd like that goal written into the agreement," Sanders said. "After the acquisition, you'll be required to invest no less than $500,000 per year in expansion."
"Half a million? Fine," Yang agreed.
Though such stipulations weren't ideal in formal contracts, he understood that Sanders cared deeply about the company he built. Even if he was selling it, he still hoped it would succeed without him.
This was common among founders—selling a company didn't mean letting go emotionally.
"One more thing," Sanders added. "I won't interfere with management after the sale, but your hygiene standards must not fall below our current requirements."
"Hygiene is something I take very seriously," Yang replied. "But tell me—are there actual written standards?"
He wasn't just asking to be polite. If he was going into the food industry, sanitation had to be a top priority. The bigger the brand, the more vulnerable it became. One hygiene issue at a single store could create a media firestorm and damage every location under the brand.
Sanders smiled. "Of course we have standards. I've written them all down. After this, we can go to the kitchen, and you'll see it for yourself."
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