KFC Mauritius vs Nando – Political Conspiracy?
2009/10/19 - By Kurt Avish - 1,140 views
KFC Mauritius could have been a victim of a political conspiracy in Mauritius in favor of Nando Chicken? Well I am not saying it but this is what the opposition leader of Mauritius was saying indirectly and it somehow make sense after yesterday’s announcement in South Africa.
Nando Chicken yesterday announced in a newspaper in South Africa that it is coming back to Mauritius in December! Before we talk of the “possible conspiracy“, let’s first have a look at the timeline of events during the last few weeks in Mauritius.
- 29 September 2009 – KFC Port Louis is ordered to close down due to some odour detected in its storage room!
- 5 October 2009 – 9 KFC outlets are prohibited in Mauritius!
- 6 October 2009 – All remaining KFC outlets are ordered to close down.
- 17 October 2009 – KFC is allowed to operate again after a still-unknown deal!
- 18 October 2009 – Nando in South Africa officially announce it is coming back to Mauritius!
For the fact, if you didnt know about it, Nando is a specialist is grilled chicken. They were here in Mauritius some time ago but it didn’t work well. Of course since KFC has been in Mauritius since years, Mauritians have an majestic preference for KFC. Even Rodeo Chicken and Mc Donald cannot compete with KFC here. So what conspiracy?
The whole set of event started after the visit of Navin Ramgoolam in the USA and other countries. Suddenly the Mauritian government who never cared so much about its citizen’s food safety all these years woke up to attack KFC who is supposedly not respecting the Food Act. – Possible Conspiracy Point 1
The reason? Salmonella bacteria found in the meat! Yea ridiculous one indeed. It is as if the cops are arresting a lorry driver for having a backup wheel! Salmonella is often found in chicken meat and this is normal. Once the meat is cooked the bacteria is no more an issue. One fact no one mentioned is that Salmonella affects its victims within 24 to 48 hours but who were ill after eating KFC all these days? NO ONE! – Possible Conspiracy Point 2
The test on the meat were done by the government labs however when KFC’s third party tests were done, NOTHING was found and the Minister even went back on his word saying he never said anything about this! – Possible Conspiracy Part 3
Why all these? Well one possible explanation is to decrease the customer base of KFC by using fear and nutritional terrorism by the Mauritian Government. Once a good part of KFC’s customer base no more trust the company’s products they will tend to find other similar fast food. Who? Nando? Maybe and this is based on a rumor across the country. – Possible Conspiracy Point 4
But why such a favor for Nando? Well the election is near and election mean finance. The last time, Samlo Steel was the main financier of the electoral campaign but this time they will need more money. So could Nando be a powerful financier of the upcoming electoral campaign in Mauritius? We don’t know but it is a good question! – Possible Conspiracy Point Overall!
However was this whole cinema a complete failure? We can say YES as KFC customer base is almost intact and Nando is probably not going to work again. Let’s recap this whole story (or possible conspiracy). KFC customer base are Chicken meat fans. If KFC is labelled as unsecure, a chicken customer base will not switch to pizza or noodle customer base very easily so they will look for an alternative to KFC. Who can be an alternative to KFC? It is Nando even though it is not really of exactly the same as KFC. Nando is grilled chicken while KFC is Fried ones but again all this is a POSSIBLE conspiracy.
To answer this and clear all doubt, we’ll try to get the view and opinion of Nando itself in the coming days.
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Nice review of the issue.These are just probabilities which seems to have sense.
Still why will govt take the risk to close kfc and create unemployment b4 general election? This is another aspect of the issue.
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Tj Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 9:41 AM
The government comes out as a winner since it’s ‘concerned’ about ‘our’ health. That overshadows a few dozen job losses by miles. Simple math…
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None of your conspiracy theories are actually true.
Bruno´s last blog ..Climate change and disinformation
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Yea you are right, actually i`ve been thinking of this probability even before kfc was close,( it was some 3 months ago that i discussed that with someone. )
Well its business and when investment is made, there is risk , and where there is risk, measures must be taken to spread the risk. It we SWOT it, KFC is the major competitor, and trust me, nando is more healthy that Kfc and if you are a pro chicken eater, you`ll notice the difference.
Nando needs to get his competitors into compromising situations so here is the bang theory. And also Notice the trust that stupid Mauritians have in Kfc, its great… Komie koupie zot gagner zot revini em! Irony isn`t it?
Now talking about politics, who is bringing Nando back home? you know who? Well its backed by “big peeps” who even got their hands and puppets in the government, how in that blue moon did these health ministry dudes got off their dreams and decided to visit kfc from the back door? … You know the answer
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“So could Nando be a powerful financer of the upcoming electoral campaign in Mauritius? We don’t know but it is a good question! – Possible Conspiracy Point Overall!”
You said it there
“We don’t know”. This is the only thing that the government has to gain. This is a possible conspiracy, and nothing more! 
I personally prefer Nandos (don’t shoot me!), but I understand that KFC chicken is, or was, the leading fastfood outlet in Mauritius. It’s a big risk for the government to take. It’s obvious that KFC will always out-do Nandos competition wise. This must mean that in order for the government to ‘benefit’ in any means or form some sort of bribery or ‘payment’ has occured. At least that’s what i think you are trying to say in this post
I don’t think that KFC and Nando’s are entirely in the same market. KFC is in the fast food market, selling fried chicken as it’s franchise. Nando’s focuses more on the restaurant market and it’s selling point is it’s peri peri sauce. It’s like trying to compare Football to Rubgy, different ball games.
I don’t think Nando’s will ever out perform KFC in Mauritius, even after the ’salmonella conspiracy’. KFC is already well established and a dominant power in the fast food industry.
No conspiracy for me. A conspiracy is only a conspiracy if it works out for the conspiring parties. This won’t, it will only lead to a MEGAFAIL
Nav´s last blog ..Royal Mail: Unacceptable, Disgraceful, Shambolic!
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I stand up for KFC..And I won’t freaking leave kfc for any WHATEVER roasted WHATEVER..
Tushal´s last blog ..Facetube.mu Review!
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really really really damned nice review! Way to go man!
I congratulate you to have done your research before talking.
Franc tou sa bann minis la… sa montrE nou
si 1 fans kfc poz kandidat, ena bel probabilitE li eli tou sa!
saa bann minis ki fer conspiration contre kfc zot gagne malediction sa .. ala mo dir ou moi!
selven´s last blog ..Google offered in mauritian Creole
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The Nando’s coming to mauritius was well before kfc was closed… i already heard bout it.
Furthermore, the clientele of KFC and nando’s aint the same .. the products are not the same ..
Meaning even kfc closes down, most clients who loves fried chicken would rush to steers/missisipi/happy eater or tropical .. sa en beaucoup ki en profiteront ..
But NOT nando’s since the product is not the same..
Furthermore nando’s would open moreorless 1-2 outlets and cannot be a threat to KFC .. with its 14 outlets ..
Guess are all hypothesis have fallen apart !! lolz.. Since ther’s no possible competition between nando’s and KFC ..
Nando’s is more a restaurant than a fast food .. this simple difference should made everyone understand that fast food clients and restaurants are not the same… one wants a kool place to have a slow lunch/diner in good company or a nice food. The other one wants a nice food on the run ..
ashfaq´s last blog ..Carpediem
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Tj Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 10:15 AM
Totally agree, the two have nothing in common except the chicken. Where I come from, Nando’s and KFC existed side by side in complete harmony. If you wanted something on the run, you’d enter KFC and if you wanted to sit down for a meal with friends, family or a spouse/to-be-spouse, you’d definitely go to Nando’s.
Don’t doubt conspiracy theories but I do agree with you. Healthy arguments always make sense to me
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No way Kurt, Nando is NOT an alternative to KFC, Ive tasted Nando, N it really does NOT taste that gud!!!1 Mauritian wont like it!!!!!sure of that!!!!!LOOOLLLL
n ya, Nando anouced its arrival way b4 the 28th of october, fink since strt of september, check zournal 5+ lol!!!
n ya, to watch too many film!!!hihihi
Jokes
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if haven’t read this post would have never thought about this…well maybe you’re right…that’s a strategy to malign the image of KFC for the re-introduction of Nando here…and what might back up your statement might be what took the government to close all the outlets of KFC and to re-open them so rapidly,,, we have not that health and safety culture in our food outlets so how come suddenly they did a sudden inspection and on some analyze they close etc…
nice post indeed…
Gaia´s last blog ..For the ladies:Some Sprinkles of Romance
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It might happened. This is called vested interest. Who knows?
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its pure bullsh*t keep ur political conspiracy for ur self .ur readin too much of stories!!!!!!!!!!!
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Kurt Avish Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 9:00 PM
And you are reading too much of “pure bullsh*t”
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Loverboy Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 11:46 PM
@Kurt Avish,
Yeah he is reading it but he cannot even defend himself with any argument..
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Nando’s offer a healthy option with its grilled chicken not roasted compared to KFC which is covered with a batter and deep fried. The quality of the food offered by Nando’s is higher than KFC. I am referring to the Nando’s Restaurants which are in South Africa or even U.K not the Mauritius one. On the other hand, some of you will be in state of shock if you have a KFC in the United Kingdom compared to Mauritius which contains an astonishing amount of oil. If it is a political conspiracy then I must agree with the government for trying to put all KFC’s out of business to save the life of the nation and reduce health costs.
May be the government can be praised for not being selfish for once !.
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Jeetah in KFC: 1 chips with no salt (healthy man) and 2 large piece with no salmonella :-
Mauritian Citizen in KFC: 2 Jeetah s’il vous plait, and the guy is being served 2 P!lon (la cuisse if u want)
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THIS IS PURE CONSPIRACY NTH ELSE..
jeetah is a useless chap. He used public money to buy milk etc in period of shortage and after changing minister he himself declared them as crap and ordered to have them destroyed.
He went round the airport when swine flu started worldwide and said everyth is done to protect our citizens, lots of pre-election pubs as if he is doin a lot for the country but look at the figures, Mauritius have been the most affected island compared to Reunion and jeetha claimed it came through Reunion! The situation went so bad that the govt claimed that they will not disclose the figures anymore to the general public in mauritius. Why? u knw the answer, as high the number as high the shame for them, so better take the public for fools and not give them the necessary information!
JEETAH BIZIN GAGNE COUTE JUTTA (SOULIER)
You touched the wrong button mate, the time is close when to ask for a piece PILON (la cuisse) at KFC ppls will ask for a Jeetah!!
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Lol, small world, isn’t it!
Oh I’ve eaten at nandos in uk and it’s nothing like the one that was in mauritius.
kfc, nandos, whatever, i’d like to see the govt promoting healthy food. what abt opening some smoothie bars, and healthy eats for a change. even if those are not popular with the mauritian people, at least it’ll b an effort on behalf of the govt to care bat its people’s health for a change
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lollll even on twitter! are you serious!?!
oh but i guess twitter is sort of a stalker central.
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Kurt Avish Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 10:25 PM
@manju, Yea. Well… some lack a salon or enough real (tangible) friends I guess lol. I hope they don’t reproduce virtually too one day rofl.
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No one really care about Nando.
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This debate has unfortunately taken a political turn. I’ve exposed my views on URL on how it was first a commercial issue, then a political issue. But it’s now turning into a racial issue. Unfortunately. Most Euro-creoles are automatically siding with KFC, and non-Euro-creoles are siding with the ministry.
But at the end of the day, the identity of the Nando’s promoter will unlock the situation. And, I hate to say it thus, I always try to be neutral, but the timeline of events automatically fuels conspiracy theories. But when you look closer, no one has been able to formally say who that promoter is. Not even the opposition party. Besides, I’ve had a chat with one of them on Saturday.
And the reason why they stopped talking about this is because they now have information that it was a former employee of Food and Allied Ltd. (FAIL) – who owns the KFC franchise in Mauritius – who’s the promoter. And he’s no where connected to political parties. That’s the official reason the opposition are not talking about the KFC case right now.
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i totally disagree that Nando’s wont work, lets face it, it tastes about a million times better than KFC and its about a million times better for you. And you should be happy that the Mauritiun government is finally waking up to health and safety issues affecting its people. Nandos? Bring it on!!!!!!! and unless you all want fat asses you should be eating Nandos rather than KFC too!
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