KFC ADDS WHOLE APPLE PIE TO MEAL

LOUISE KRAMER

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- KFC here brought bakery into the act with an ad late last month featuring a "Mega Meal" with a whole apple pie.

A crumb-topped apple pie was the centerpiece of the ad, which appeared in an insert in Sunday newspapers in New York City on Sunday Aug. 28.

The meal featured in the ad cost $14.99 plus tax. In fine print, the ad said the meal was a limited time offer, and that the pie flavor may vary.

"Get a mega meal without paying mega bucks," the ad said. Included in the package: a whole Rotisseries Gold chicken, large mashed potatoes, large gravy, large coleslaw, six Kentucky nuggets, large potato wedges, four biscuits and a whole apple pie.

Now that many supermarket companies, large and small, are beginning to promote meal packages centering around chicken, SN asked supermarket bakery executives whether the KFC pie offer might spark similar promotions in-store.

"We're kind of doing the same thing with whole meal promotions," said a bakery executive for one of the country's top chains. "On the surface, with the pie KFC has upped their ante."

He added that such a promotion will likely spark his company to see what it can do to make its meal offer even better. "Rounding the whole meal by offering the pie piece is a positive thing," he said.

Another retailer said that in his market, which is extremely price competitive now, meal programs have not been spared from price wars. Adding pies to the mix just wouldn't make financial sense in the "dog-eat-dog" climate, he said, where one retailer, at least, is offering a whole chicken meal with three side dishes for $5.99. An East Coast retailer said he thought the pie promotion was well-timed for the fall, the biggest selling season for pies. He said he thought adding dessert to the package was an idea worth looking into at retail.

KFC here could not be reached for comment at press time about the extent of the promotion.