New Zealand's finger-lickin' posties to deliver KFC

[WELLINGTON] New Zealand Post has announced its couriers will home-deliver KFC fast food, in a trial that could provide a recipe for success as letter volumes continue to dwindle.

Under a pilot scheme that started this week in the North Island town of Tauranga, KFC customers can order online and have their food delivered by NZ Post drivers.

KFC operator Restaurant Brands NZ said that while it knew how to produce food, it had no experience in logistics, making the postal service a natural fit.

"NZ Post has an extensive delivery distribution network around New Zealand, and KFC is available in most towns nationwide," chief executive Ian Letele said.

"With the support of NZ Post, we hope to service the home delivery needs of many more KFC customers throughout New Zealand." New Zealand Post has struggled in the digital age as email and texts have replaced traditional "snail mail".

The state-owned service slashed 2,000 jobs, or 20 per cent of its workforce in 2013, and two years later moved to three-day-a-week deliveries, down from six.

It said in its last financial statement that the fall in letter deliveries meant it was losing up to NZ$30 million (S$29.36 million) a year in revenue.

However, it said parcel volumes were up due to rising online orders and NZ Post was concentrating on capturing more e-commerce business.

NZ Post's head of innovation Mike Stewart said the postal service was excited to be working with such a well-known brand as KFC.

"Our many years' experience, and growing strength in on-demand delivery makes us the ideal provider," he said.

AFP