KFC has launched its Kentucky Town platform in Kenya, making the country the first East African market to host the campaign as the fast-food chain expands the concept beyond Southern Africa.

The Kenyan rollout, branded Kentucky Town 254, combines a Kenyan-inspired menu with locally produced merchandise and a series of pop-up events across Nairobi.

The month-long campaign includes a limited-time menu at selected KFC restaurants, an apparel collection developed with Nairobi-based fashion brand home_254, and four weekend pop-ups at shopping malls across the capital.

KFC’s Kenyan franchise, Kuku Foods East Africa, said the campaign was developed around local food and cultural influences.

“We didn’t want to bring Kentucky Town to Kenya and simply put a Kenyan name on it. We wanted Kenya to have a say in what Kentucky Town becomes,” said Dorothy Muthoni, Chief Marketing Officer at Kuku Foods East Africa.

The menu draws on flavours familiar to Kenyan consumers, reinterpreted through KFC’s existing offering.

The pop-up events will combine food, music, games and other activities, alongside a limited-edition apparel collection created with home_254.

The collection includes a range of locally designed and produced clothing, with KFC saying the items will be designed, made and hand-printed in Kenya.

Home_254 founder Job Brian Jura said the collaboration was intended to bring together Kenyan design and local production.

Kentucky Town originated in South Africa and has previously been rolled out in Namibia and Mauritius. Kenya is the first East African market to host the platform.

KFC Kenya is the company’s second-largest African market after South Africa, with 48 franchise-owned restaurants, according to the company.