KFC & Pizza Hut Support World Hunger Relief

Media Release
09 October 2008

KFC & Pizza Hut Support World Hunger Relief

KFC and Pizza Hut are set to kick off – World Hunger Relief (WHR) – across all stores in NZ, to raise both awareness around the issue of world hunger and much needed funds to help combat the problem.

World Hunger Relief, which will run from 7 - 27 October 2008, coincides with the United Nation’s (UN) International Anti Poverty Day (17 October 2008) and is a direct initiative to support the World Food Program (WFP) on a local level.

Rod de Vries Chief Operating Officer for KFC and Pizza Hut in New Zealand says of the initiative:

“The WFP is the UN’s food aid agency and works year round to improve the lives of the 850 million people in all corners of the world who suffer from starvation. In New Zealand, KFC and Pizza Hut stores will have donation boxes, in a combined total of 189 stores, encouraging consumers to donate before they themselves get ready to dine.

“With the proven power of this initiative by KFC and Pizza Hut worldwide, in the past; together with the natural generosity of Kiwis as a nation, we are looking forward to helping the WFP make a difference”.

During the inaugural WHR in 2007, in Australia alone, KFC and Pizza Hut raised AUD$382,000. World-wide, Yum! Brands (the franchisor of KFC and Pizza Hut) raised US$16 million dollars during WHR 2007.

The money raised in Australia was primarily used to provide victims of the Bangladesh Cyclone Sidr with food. In total, 209,000 people were helped by being provided with enough emergency food rations to last for one month.

In addition to all monies raised this year, the Yum! Brands Foundation has committed to covering up to US$1.5 million globally of the WFP’s running and operational costs so that funds collected from customers and employees flow straight through to the victim’s of world hunger.

With more than 1,000,000 employees in their 35,000 restaurants across 110 countries, Yum! is the world’s largest restaurant company and is passionate about putting a stop to an epidemic that claims 25,000 lives every day.

Paul Risley, Asia Regional Communications Advisor and Spokesperson for the WFP said “It has never been more important to address the issue of world hunger - the number of chronically hungry people world-wide is growing by an average of four million per year. Over 500 million of the world's hungry live in South Asia, right on our doorstep. We have the power to stop it.

“The WFP is funded entirely by donations. The support from KFC and Pizza Hut enables the WFP to provide food to hundreds of thousands of people who live in poverty or are affected by natural disaster” he said.

“It costs just NZD 30c per day to feed a hungry child. I encourage all Kiwis to donate anything they can manage to their local KFC or Pizza Hut store during WHR – every dollar counts,” urges Mr Risley.

To make a donation, visit any KFC or Pizza Hut store during World Hunger Relief, 7 - 27 October 2008.

Ends.

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