From Fast Food to Sleep Aid, KFC's New Role in Wellness

We spend one third of our lives sleeping, so catching zzz’s is big business. Yet while sleep is free, it can be difficult to get a good quality night’s rest, which is having a huge impact on our health and wellbeing. 

The U.S. has the highest annual economic loss due to insufficient sleep in the world, with up to US$411bn lost per year. Globally, 62% of adults worldwide say they don't sleep as well as they'd like to. Sadly but predictably, those surveyed said that financial pressures and work-related stress were the leading causes of sleep disruption.

A new and somewhat unlikely ally for those struggling to get to sleep, is KFC. 

KFC teams up with Hatch to introduce ‘Kentucky Fried Chicken Rain’ for a better night’s sleep

If you have missed the ASMR trend, then you really must have been sleeping under a rock. 

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a pleasant sensory experience, which can help people to relax and drift off to sleep. It is often stimulated by noises, with examples including brushing sounds or tapping. What about the noise of fried chicken?

Word reached KFC that the sound of cooking fried chicken sounds similar to rainfall. The restaurant chain contacted sleep wellness company Hatch and together, they have launched a ‘Kentucky Fried Chicken Rain’ content channel, to help people nod off. 

“We’re excited to announce the brand collab no one knew they needed: KFC x Hatch! We heard an internet rumour that the sound of falling rain is actually the sound of frying chicken, so we decided to investigate. Happy to be making weird, fun things that hopefully help people find the rest they need,” shared Rinee Shah, Executive Creative Director at Hatch. 

“The taste and smell of our secret blend of 11 herbs and spices may be iconic, but who knew the sound of that delicious chicken frying could help you fall asleep,” asked Catherine Tan-Gillespie, KFC's U.S. Chief Marketing and Development Officer. “Now, in addition to enjoying the taste of our new KFC Original Recipe Tenders, people can drift off to sleep thanks to the soothing sound of frying, with the ‘Kentucky  Fried Chicken Rain’ content channel on Hatch+."

“At Hatch, we take pride in producing the most effective audio for sleep. When we kept seeing social media posts about the similarity between frying chicken and rain, we decided to make the absolute best version of that audio,” said Eric Pallotta, the CMO at Hatch, said. “Who better than the OG fried chicken experts themselves, KFC, to do it with."

The channel is available on Restore 2 smart sleep devices to those with a Hatch+ premium content subscription. 

But will users dream of counting sheep, or chickens?

The sleep impact of fast food and KFC's nutritional evolution

However, fast food options, like those offered at KFC, can have a heavy impact on our sleep schedules. 

Fast food is typically high in fat, which can trigger acid reflux and heartburn, especially if consumed close to bedtime. Such food is often high in sodium, which can increase thirst and even disrupt sleep by causing more trips to the bathroom, during the night.

In addition, many fast food items contain added sugars. Those who eat a lot of sugar, can experience less deep sleep and wake up more throughout the night.

Finally - and it goes without saying for KFC - spicy seasonings can increase body temperature and blood flow, which is quite the opposite of what your body needs for top quality sleep.

The company is working hard to advance its nutritional value, while still giving customers a satisfying meal. 

KFC UK and Ireland published their Nutrition Progress Update which showed the progress it has made on nutrition and its goals to increase transparency.

Such progress includes reformulating KFC fries, which erased thirteen billion calories a year from the menu, as well as removing full sugar Pepsi from its menu. The brand is also building new options, such as rice boxes and salads.

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