KFC Africa Open-Sources Its Secret Recipe
A Recipe for Change, Not Chicken
KFC Africa’s big secret is finally out — and it’s not about the 11 herbs and spices. In honour of World Food Day, the brand has unveiled a recipe of hope designed to end child hunger. For the first time in history, KFC Africa has open-sourced the blueprint for its Add Hope initiative, the country’s largest non-governmental feeding programme.
The announcement was made on 7 October 2025 during The Biggest Hunger Hack in Johannesburg, marking a new chapter for Add Hope’s 16-year legacy.
From Hackathon to Global Blueprint
What started as a hackathon has evolved into a global collaboration. In partnership with the University of Johannesburg (UJ), KFC Africa brought together 60 of South Africa’s brightest young innovators to reimagine the Add Hope model and make it even more impactful.
According to Andra Nel, KFC Africa’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Gen Z is key to ending hunger.
“They truly get it because they’ve lived or witnessed it,” says Nel. “They understand technology, community, and systems thinking better than most. So we gave them our blueprint and challenged them to turn it into fresh solutions for even more hope.”
Feeding a Nation Through Collaboration
Add Hope’s strength has always been rooted in collaboration. Over R1 billion has been raised since inception — R600 million from public R2 donations and R400 million from KFC’s own contributions. The funds have provided meals to millions of vulnerable children through thousands of feeding centres nationwide.
“Collaboration is the only way to scale this fight,” says Nel. “That’s why we invited leaders from business, government and civil society to join us at The Biggest Hunger Hack.”
New partnerships with McCormick, Digistics, Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa, Foodserv, Tiger Brands, CBH, and Nature’s Garden are set to propel the initiative even further.
UJ’s Fourth Industrial Revolution Champions
The event, hosted at the University of Johannesburg, highlighted how technology and youth innovation can power social impact.
“This collaboration is a prime example of how young innovators can develop practical, scalable solutions for societal impact,” said Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi, UJ Vice-Chancellor and Principal.
Poverty at the Core of Hunger
Experts at the event painted a stark picture of South Africa’s hunger crisis.
- Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of Gift of the Givers, reminded attendees: “When you go to a disaster site, the first thing people ask for is food. Hunger is not new; it’s been there for days.”
- Siya Leshabane of UN Women noted that South Africa is among 20 countries responsible for 65% of global severe poverty. “Hungry children struggle to focus and retain information. Poor nutrition traps them in a cycle of fatigue and disadvantage.”
- Luvuyo Sandi from Kagiso Trust linked child hunger to unemployment: “The reason this child is hungry has to do with household income — and unemployment sits at the heart of that.”
- Dr Marc Aguirre of HOPE worldwide called child hunger a “national development crisis,” noting it costs South Africa 10% of its GDP due to stunting and lost productivity.
Gen Z Leading the Fight Against Hunger
The hackathon’s top ideas will be piloted over the coming months, with a collaborative proposal to be presented at the National Convention in 2026. The best innovation could receive up to R1 million in seed funding.
“This is the first time a major South African corporation has open-sourced a successful social impact model,” Nel emphasized. “We’re not just feeding children anymore — we’re feeding a movement with the potential to end child hunger forever.”
The Secret Recipe the World Really Needs
Through the Add Hope blueprint, KFC Africa is inviting the world to collaborate, innovate, and scale impact. What began as a local feeding programme has now become a global model for ending child hunger — proof that the real secret recipe isn’t in the chicken, but in community-driven change.
Learn more about the Add Hope recipe at AddHope.KFC.co.za.