KFC’s Secret Recipe Uncovered – The Ultimate Reveal Everyone’s Been Anticipating!

Johannesburg – The key to KFC Africa’s (http://KFC.co.za) success has been unveiled, and it’s more than just their renowned mixture of 11 herbs and spices. It symbolizes a beacon of hope focused on eradicating child hunger—shared openly with the world in observance of World Food Day.

On 7 October 2025, at The Biggest Hunger Hack event in Johannesburg, KFC Africa revealed its innovative choice to open-source the framework for Add Hope, its 16-year-old initiative that is the largest non-governmental feeding program in South Africa.

What began as a hackathon is now poised for global influence.

Over the past week, 60 of the brightest young minds in the country, in partnership with the University of Johannesburg, have been refining the Add Hope framework to enhance its effectiveness.

KFC Africa’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Andra Nel, underscores the significant role of Gen Z in Africa in the fight against hunger.

“This generation genuinely comprehends the issue, having either faced it or observed it firsthand. They also possess a superior understanding of technology, community, and systems thinking compared to many others. That’s why we shared our blueprint with them, encouraging innovative solutions for spreading hope.”

Nel mentioned that the Add Hope team was greatly impressed by the ideas generated during the hackathon.

“These concepts and the blueprint will promote exploration, sharing, and scaling of the solution.”

“This is a wonderful way to recognize World Food Day on 16 October and honor its theme of global collaboration.”

Biggest Hunger Hack

The success of Add Hope fundamentally relies on the power of collaboration. It starts with KFC customers contributing R2 donations, supplemented by KFC’s significant contributions, resulting in meals provided for vulnerable children at numerous feeding centers across the nation.

A milestone of R1 billion was reached last year, with over R600 million coming from public donations and R400 million from KFC.

“We recognize that collaboration is vital to further scaling this initiative and addressing ongoing needs, which is why we invited leaders from business, government, and civil society to join us at The Biggest Hunger Hack,” stated Nel.

“We hope other organizations will heed our call to collaborate and expand upon what is already successful. New partnerships with companies like McCormick, Digistics, Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa, Foodserv, Tiger Brands, CBH, and Nature’s Garden, among others, will provide us with a significant boost.”

The Biggest Hunger Hack occurred at the University of Johannesburg, where Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi expressed enthusiasm about collaborating with KFC on an initiative that empowers young people to use their Fourth Industrial Revolution skills to tackle child hunger.

“This partnership illustrates how young innovators, educated at the university, can create practical, scalable solutions for societal benefit,” said Mpedi.

“We are excited to see the tangible impact their ideas will have on alleviating hunger through innovation.”

Poverty to blame

Panelists at The Biggest Hunger Hack addressed the widespread child hunger crisis, advocating for a society-wide approach to a sustainable solution.

Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of Gift of the Givers, noted, “When you reach a disaster zone, the first request is for food. That’s when you realize hunger has been an issue for days, not just a few hours.”

According to Siya Leshabane from UN Women, South Africa is among 20 nations contributing to 65% of severe poverty globally.

“Children facing hunger struggle to concentrate and retain information. Poor nutrition leads to fatigue, trapping them in a continuous cycle,” remarked Dr. Sooliman.

Luvuyo Sandi, SED business and fund manager from Kagiso Trust, explained that hunger is linked to broader issues.

“A child’s hunger frequently connects back to household income challenges, arising from unemployment or a lack of employability,” Sandi stated.

Dr. Marc Aguirre, country director at HOPE worldwide, framed child hunger as a national developmental crisis.

“We estimate it affects our GDP by about 10%. Stunted growth costs the nation billions in rands, making it imperative to view addressing child hunger as an investment in the future,” Dr. Aguirre added.

Gen Z solution

Nel indicated that the concepts from the hackathon teams will be tested in the coming months, with a collaborative, business-led proposal anticipated for the National Convention in early 2026—marked as a Gen Z solution to child hunger developed by KFC Africa.

Potential seed funding of up to R1 million may be allocated to nurture the winning solution.

“This is the first time a major South African corporation has open-sourced a successful social impact model, which could transform how businesses tackle social issues,” Nel remarked.

“We’re not merely feeding children; we’re fostering a movement with the potential to permanently eradicate child hunger worldwide. This is the genuine recipe the world needs.”