The U.S. food chain giant Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has sped up its growth in the Turkish market by granting a franchise for the first time. Prior to this development, all branches of KFC in Turkey were owned by the firm itself. The franchise will be opened in Diyarbakır on July 11 and will be located in Ninova, which is one of the largest malls in the city. KFC, which has 19,000 restaurants serving in 120 countries, aims to accelerate its expansion in Turkey by franchising. Diyarbakır is known to be one of the gastronomy centers of Turkey, so KFC is entering a refined and developed market. KFC Marketing Director Zeliha Şener said that the food and beverages sector is growing by 2 to 3 percent, while the fast food sector is growing by 25 percent in Turkey, and YUM! Brands is planning to open 400 new KFC restaurants. Şener remarked that YUM! Brands has been investing in kitchen technology and human resources as well as their restaurants in order to utilize the significant potential of the Turkish market. Explaining that they intend to achieve a significant part of their targeted growth level by granting franchises, Şener said that there is tremendous potential in Anatolia, which they aim to capitalize on with the partnerships of individuals and firms that are willing to invest. Şener said that their company is optimistic about the consumer demand, since local people in cities such as Adana and Gaziantep have an appetite for dishes like kebabs. Branches in these cities were in great demand from the population, despite the presence of a sophisticated local cuisine, which confirms the correct reading of Anatolia's potential, Şener said.