By Nasik Swami

Plans are in the pipeline for a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurant in Naracoorte.

The Bird Group, which owns the Mount Gambier-based KFC franchise, has indicated their plans to expand further into the Limestone Coast, with an eatery in Naracoorte on the list.

In an interview with The News, a company representative said the Naracoorte project was in its “redesign phase”.

The group said they were still looking to build the restaurant at the location revealed earlier—opposite SE Wheel Alignment or diagonally opposite OTR Naracoorte.

For the project, the representative said the investment amount was still unclear at this stage.

“With COVID pushing back all our development plans, we have had to rethink what KFC concept we will be building there (in Naracoorte),” the representative said.

“Once our current development commitments are completed, Naracoorte will be our next project.”

If all goes according to plan, the new site will create employment opportunities for locals.

“A proposed site could potentially require 10 full-time employees, up to 50 casuals, and three to four full-time management staff,” the franchisee said.

In 2020, the group opened its new digital drive-through KFC restaurant at the Marketplace in Mount Gambier. It is understood that a similar concept is being planned for Naracoorte.

KFC Australia was also asked for a comment on plans to open a branch in Naracoorte.

“While we can’t reveal any plans for a new KFC restaurant just yet, keep an eye out, because you never know when the Colonel’s fried gold will be coming to town,” a company spokesperson said.