KFC, a quick-service food chain under Yum China, has launched its latest "food station" in Zhengzhou, Henan province, marking the 55th location in the province and bolstering a growing nationwide network that redistributes surplus meals to people in need and reflects the company's broader push to tackle food waste at scale.

According to the Dahe Daily, Jiang Hui, vice-president of the Henan Catering and Accommodation Industry Association, has called on food-service companies across the province to integrate anti-waste measures into daily operations and help build a "civilized, economical and warm" catering environment.

The province's rollout follows national progress earlier this year. In April, on the 56th World Earth Day, KFC opened its 1,000th food station in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, fulfilling its target of building 1,000 sites within five years.

The quick-service chain's food station program distributes unsold but still shelf-safe surplus food. Restaurants collect items that have passed peak freshness but remain within their safety window, then label, package and flash-freeze them under a standard operating procedure, said the company.

The food is stored in dedicated freezers or distributed directly during designated pick-up periods, with employees reminding recipients to reheat and consume the items the same day.

The model, developed through multi-city pilots, details collection, packaging, freezing, storage and distribution requirements and serves as the basis for employee training nationwide. Items not collected within the designated period are discarded to ensure safety.

Sanitation workers remain among the most frequent users due to their late working hours and proximity to pickup sites. Store managers in Shanghai and Guangzhou said the initiative has helped build regular connections with workers and nearby residents, strengthening neighborhood engagement. Some managers have extended support by offering drinking water in summer and warming meals brought from home.

Community response has evolved alongside the program. In Guangzhou, store employees said early misunderstandings about "free surplus food" gave way to orderly participation as residents became familiar with the system.

Some restaurants have also incorporated educational components, such as engaging children in packaging surplus-food "care boxes" on World Food Day to raise awareness of food conservation.

Yum China positions the food station network as part of its broader sustainability and anti-waste agenda. Company managers said the program's value lies in providing "timely help" rather than simply offering free food, reflecting shifting expectations around corporate participation in community welfare. The company recently set an ambitious goal of expanding its footprint to 30,000 stores by 2030, with most of the stores in lower-tier cities and counties.

Zhu Danpeng, a food and beverage analyst, said in recent years national laws and regulations were introduced, particularly those addressing food waste, significantly strengthening food security and safety across the country.

"Leading enterprises, especially industry pioneers, have actively implemented the anti-food waste law by adopting concrete measures. KFC's approach aligns well with its leading role and responsibility within the industry, a very positive development," said Zhu.

At the same time, this model demands a highly rigorous internal control system for food safety, supported by designated personnel for coordination, supervision and monitoring, as well as a professional guideline-based workflow, he added.

Overall, businesses are also required to dispose of surplus food in an environmentally safe manner. Interestingly, the current operational approach has not only ensured compliance, but also reduced costs, contributing positively to cost efficiency and operational optimization, Zhu said.

wangzhuoqiong@chinadaily.com.cn