KFC launches chicken nuggets in Charlotte

KFC announced Monday that chicken nuggets, a staple at many fast-food chains, have landed on the menu in Charlotte, NC for a limited time. “While KFC has had bite-sized, nugget-like options like popcorn chicken and ‘Original Recipe Bites’ in the past, starting today, KFC is testing a brand-new and truly unique chicken nugget that is hand-breaded in the kitchen using KFC’s famous 11 Herbs and Spices,” a spokesperson said in a message emailed to MarketWatch. KFC, which has been serving fried chicken since 1952, says chicken nuggets are the second largest segment in the fried chicken category. The nuggets are accompanied with a choice of honey mustard, honey BBQ, classic ranch or KFC sauce. The chain is giving the staff at the Atrium Health maternity center “who help bring new nuggets into the world each and every day” a taste, the announcement said. KFC is part of the Yum Brands Inc. YUM, +0.57% portfolio. Yum stock is down 14% for the year to date, while the benchmark S&P 500 index SPX, -0.47% is down 18.8% for the period.