KFC Thailand Reportedly Planned To Launch Fried Chicken Incense Sticks, Gets Backlash From Netizens

KFC Thailand Planned To Launch Fried Chicken Incense Sticks, Skin Feels ‘Like Original Fried Chicken’

While Chinese New Year (CNY) is coming very soon, KFC Thailand may have mistaken it for April Fool’s Day instead.

To celebrate the festive occasion, the fast-food chain reportedly launched fried chicken incense sticks.

However, their post about the product on Instagram has now vanished after reported backlash.

Fried chicken incense sticks at KFC Thailand emit original recipe smell

An apparent screenshot of KFC Thailand’s now-deleted Instagram post was shared by Malaysian lifestyle portal jiuzyoung on Friday (13 Jan).

The caption states that they’ll debut a “new incense” for CNY this year, alongside a video of fried chicken incense sticks being planted not in a burner but a KFC bucket filled with gold coins.

Apparently, when burnt the sticks will emit the tantalising smell of KFC’s famous original recipe fried chicken, with their 11 herbs and spices.

However, they are not to be eaten, no matter how hungry they may make you feel.

Also, when touched, the outer skin of the sticks supposedly feel exactly like fried chicken.

Incense sticks not for sale, according to KFC Thailand

Even so, the product is not for sale, the caption reads.

The chain told people to follow their Facebook page to find out more.

The Instagram video KFC Thailand posted, though, mentioned KFC Delivery, so it might have been planned as a gift for customers who ordered KFC delivery.

Also, from photos shared by social media pages like Bangkok Foodie, it seems that the incense sticks would come in festive-looking red boxes adorned with the words “Spring Festival” (春节).

KFC Thailand worked with experts to create scent

A spokesman for Wunderman Thompson Thailand, KFC Thailand’s creative marketing agency, told Marketing Oops! that the idea stemmed from how the Chinese mark CNY with prayers that involve the lighting of incense.

Thus, they wanted to get people’s attention during a major season like CNY by creating an “extraordinary” meaning that excites fans.

One challenge was to make the incense emit the scent of fried chicken and they worked with an odour expert and the KFC Scent & Sense Laboratory to create the scent.

They also had to put three layers of coating on the sticks to mimic the texture of fried chicken, including having it crumble like fried chicken skin.

Netizens react negatively to product

However, the product seemed to leave some people with a bad taste in their mouth, according to comments from netizens.

While KFC Thailand’s Instagram post reportedly attracted negative feedback, netizens also took to Twitter to share their thoughts on it.

One of the milder commenters said they were unsure whether the company had mixed up CNY with another Chinese festival.

Another netizen had expected them to know Chinese culture better.

While KFC Thailand’s original Instagram post has disappeared, a netizen posed a (seemingly tongue-in-cheek) question on another post. He asked when the incense sticks would be available so he could use them to pray to his deceased, KFC-loving father.

Even Mdm Ho Ching, wife of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who’s usually very eloquent over Facebook, was rendered almost speechless by the product. She could only manage to say, “Wah…”.

Do you think fried chicken incense sticks are a good idea? Would you buy or use the product? Do share your thoughts with us.

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Featured image adapted from Bangkok Foodie on Facebook.