By Jim Duncan CVFDude@aol.com

The KFC company is proudly using its old name in America again. Coincidentally, the last four years of hiding its Kentucky-fried roots were as lean as skinned chicken breasts. Steady declines in domestic sales followed an advertising campaign that touted KFC as a good place for healthy diets. The company also had to deal with the embarrassment of a national spokesman (Jason Alexander) siding with their biggest critic (PETA), and its former president (Cheryl Bachelder) resigning over what some perceived as animal welfare issues.

My neighborhood store closed last year, after decades as our dependable producer of big buckets of empty calories. The store is still empty, hopefully awaiting the company's rebirth, which officially began in March, with the launch of the "Snacker." That $1 sandwich is what Kentucky Fried Chicken was all about to begin with - cheap, tasty and portable. It's also setting sales records for a new product.

Gregg Dedrick, KFC's 44-year-old president, came out of hiding, too, announcing that the company is redesigning itself in its former image. The new old thing is Southern roots cooking, or soul food, depending on your ZIP code. That means all kinds of new Snackers, plus hot bowls, buttermilk popcorn shrimp, hot cinnamon apples, candied apple wings, sweet potato pie, collard greens, skillet corn and spicier gravies.

The company announced that customers can expect cushier furniture, iconic designs updated by African-American artist Carlos Palmer, a return of the old slogan "Sunday Dinner 7 Days a Week," free jukeboxes (R&B or Top 40 depending upon ZIP code), and convenience store-class coolers dispensing Red Bull and Starbucks. The Colonel had a makeover, too. He's younger now, a tough sell for a man who was collecting Social Security before he started the business back in the 1960s. He also traded his white suit for a cute little apron. Apparently KFC is planning to fight Burger King's black, singing, satin cowboy for the all-important gay inner-city market.

First reported by "The Black Consumer Market Authority," KFC's prototype store (our stockbroker calls them "stereotype" stores) was launched in African-American neighborhoods in D.C. and Louisville, and 20 percent sales growth was reported after one month.

Des Moines has been starving for soul food since Alice's, Robbie's, Soul Africa and Top Value Foods all closed in the recent past. So, consumed with black-eyed hope, we visited two inner Des Moines' KFC outlets, desperately seeking even chain restaurant collard greens. One was selling tacos, and the closest thing we found to "southern roots" cooking was bad macaroni and cheese and, of course, the usual three kinds of fried chicken, which included breasts so large the wishbone was actually included.

We asked about the trans-fat content and were directed to company literature that explained how the "healthy" image hype failed.

The colonel's top health tip is to buy "an original recipe chicken breast and just remove the skin." No disclosures were included about trans fats, the chief health concern with fried foods. We called the local offices of KFC and asked if Des Moines wasn't among the 50 markets targeted for their new roots menu. We were told to, "Think about what you're asking," and that Des Moines isn't Southern enough.

KFC, and its parent, Yum, are unique among fast-food companies because foreign, particularly Asian, sales drive their success. But, guys, think about what you're doing. Most fast-food companies actually have a product on the market before they begin selling it. CV

Food News

With trans fats topping the health police hit list, restaurants and manufacturers are racing to get them out of recipes. Among mass producers only Frito Lay has succeeded in removing them from all their chips. Tyson, Inc. now markets a frozen chicken without them, and Pepperidge Farm removed them from Goldfish crackers. Gorton's Fish Sticks are free of trans fats now and Con Agra developed soft tub (but not a stick) margarine without them. Among restaurant chains, only Legal Seafood and Ruby Tuesday exorcised them. Grocery chains Wild Oats and Whole Foods both banned all products that contain them and in Des Moines, New City Market carries no products that include trans fats, though they have no policy banning them.

That's about it. Donut, cracker and potpie makers can't find acceptable substitutes. Trans fats still lurk in granola bars and microwave popcorn, and KFC spokespeople have been quoted saying they don't think their customers care about them.

In Des Moines bakeries, South Union, Basil Prosperi and La Mie all told us they do not use any trans fats, while Palmer's said that they use margarine in everything they bake.

Prince Evans, owner of the Evans Importing Company on Ingersoll Avenue, announced the arrival of his new crop of cashew butter. This has to be one of the most unlikely products in Des Moines. Evans' primary business is growing and exporting cashews from Ghana, his private label cashew butter sells out, so get yours fast.

Do the Math. The U.S. now has twice as many shopping malls as high schools. Ever mindful of the laws of supply and demand, Burger King now runs 24 "academies" for school dropouts. And you thought that dropping out was a dead end.

Food Quote

According to "The Diaries of Mary Chesnut," when a Richmond society lady asked General Robert E. Lee about his ambitions, he replied that he "Only wanted a Virginia farm - no end of cream and fresh butter - and fried chicken, not one fried chicken or two, but unlimited fried chicken."

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