KFC has launched its first Green Pioneer Stores in Hangzhou and Beijing, China which are expected to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions approximately 15% per year. The project is part of Yum China Holdings Inc.’s goal to reach net-zero value chain GHG emissions by 2050.
Yum China is a publicly traded, offshoot of Yum! Brands which is a U.S. company that owns KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. Yum China is one of the many corporations that signed the Business Ambition for 1.5°C Commitment Letter to the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) in 2021.
“We are committed to driving meaningful change and pioneering in the restaurant industry towards net-zero emissions. Building Green Pioneer Stores is an important part of our journey,” said Yum China CEO Joey Wat. “We will continue to explore utilization of innovative technologies in restaurant construction and operations to promote sustainable development as well as contribute to the low carbon economy.”
Using Yum China’s 4R (reduce, reuse, recycle and replace) Principles, the two new restaurants showcase a variety of sustainability initiatives. Each location has solar panels on the roof that generate about 10,000 kWh of solar power every year and outdoor umbrellas equipped with solar panels generate electricity for nighttime lighting. The restaurants use Internet of Things, big data and artificial intelligence to reduce energy consumption by about 10% per year.
The locations also use a tubular daylighting system to take advantage of natural lighting, and they make furniture and other restaurant supplies out of low-carbon bamboo materials and vegan leather made from KFC coffee grounds.
Over 1,000 companies have committed to the SBTi’s climate goals including Adobe, Inc., Ben & Jerry’s and Etsy, Inc. Yum! Brands also signed onto the commitment and has a goal to reduce GHG emissions 46% by 2030.
