Yum Brands shares its plans for limited-time menu items with food and packaging suppliers before sending purchase orders, chief supply chain officer Eric Craft told Supply Chain Dive. Yum’s innovation, food safety, marketing and supply chain teams discuss each item. Suppliers can then flag capacity or availability problems or suggest alternatives.
“They truly understand what we’re trying to accomplish, and they’re part of the solution development,” Craft said.
Yum operates KFC, Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill, with more than 44,000 restaurants in 151 countries and territories. One recent limited-time offering is Taco Bell’s Gordita Crunch Duos, a snack-size version of its Cheesy Gordita Crunch that launched in September.
Yum also combines purchasing volumes for ingredients shared across its brands, such as poultry, while retaining local and regional suppliers to provide flexibility when disruptions hit. If a port closes or freight routes change, those suppliers can help cover demand.
Craft became Yum’s first company-wide chief supply chain officer in 2025, a move aimed at giving suppliers a more coordinated view of the business. Previously, suppliers received requests from different brands without the same visibility across the company.
“Before, when we spoke in many voices, our suppliers didn’t have that perspective. They were getting mixed messages,” Craft said last year.
