Tacky, crispy and filling, the Kitchen Sink Grand’ito hits the mark to fulfill late-night cravings. | Pictures courtesy of Saucy by KFC.
Saucy by KFC is barely a yr outdated, however the Yum Manufacturers idea has already expanded its menu approach past its unique “tendys,” fries and sauces. In truth, between August and October, 23 new gadgets joined the lineup, stated Diana Gahagen, affiliate supervisor of meals innovation and provide chain technique.
“When you’ve one core protein [the chicken tender] we are able to do it exceptionally effectively after which obsess over innovation,” she stated. “And that obsession exhibits up in how we are able to cross over into a number of codecs, whether or not it’s rice bowls, salads or grand’itos, whereas protecting customization at our core.”
Bowls are a brand new format for Saucy’s core protein: Tendys.
Gen Z is Saucy’s goal buyer, and customization is their jam. That demographic additionally tends to remain up later, so the latest innovation from the three-unit chain is a late-night menu served between 9 p.m. and shutting—which might go into the wee hours of two or 3 a.m. A star attraction on this menu is the brand new Kitchen Sink Grand’ito.
R&D takes off
Throughout Saucy’s R&D frenzy of the final yr, Gahagen developed a burrito platform known as the grand’ito—a flour tortilla stuffed with the signature tendys (coated with KFC’s proprietary seasoning), rice or lettuce, and both a kimchi, caesar or ranchero sauce.
“Gen Z is all the time in search of one thing just a little totally different. We thought ‘what are individuals craving in these late-night hours,’ and determined it was one thing tacky, crispy and actually filling,” she stated. “After which, after all, we needed to herald that egg for a breakfast aspect.”
The Kitchen Sink Grand’ito is an outsized burrito stuffed with tendys, french fries, queso and a fried egg, priced at $8.99. And prospects can select certainly one of Saucy’s 12 rotating sauces as a dip.
“We ideated the Kitchen Sink Grand’ito on paper and it got here collectively actually rapidly,” stated Gahagen. The essential parts have been there from the start, together with sliced jalapeños. However when Saucy modified its queso to make it extra flavorful, the jalapeño kicked up the spice just a little an excessive amount of, she added. So the jalapeños have been nixed.
Aside from the egg, which is a brand new SKU, the opposite substances within the Kitchen Sink are all cross utilized. And the egg seems within the different two late-night menu gadgets as effectively—the Egg Sammie ($5.49) and the Egg Chick’ito ($4.49). The Chick’ito platform is taco-based and launched in Could.
Among the many 23 new gadgets that expanded Saucy’s menu exponentially there was a fairly distinctive one: Brussel Bites. Contemporary veggies aren’t a standard sight on fast-food menus.
“Our company cherished our crinkle-cut fries, however we needed to have one other vegetable possibility,” stated Gahagen. “We examined each battered and fried vegetable on the market, however the Brussels sprouts have been a transparent winner.”
The contemporary Brussels sprouts are available in trimmed and halved, then they’re flash fried—with no breading—and seasoned with the identical “secret” spice mix as that used on the fries. Workforce members simply portion and cook dinner, proving you possibly can have nice taste with out including complexity, she defined.
Brussel Bites are an alternative choice to fries as a facet.
Company can order the Brussel Bites as a facet for $4.49; with a sauce they’re $4.99. “I like them finest with our Korean Candy Warmth sauce, whereas my colleague recommends Smokey Bacon Ranch,” stated Gahagen.
The Bites aren’t solely sized for dipping, they’ll simply be integrated into Saucy’s rice bowls. And the truth that they don’t have any batter or coating makes these veggies a more healthy possibility.
Taste-seeking technique
From the start, sauces have been the engine that drives Saucy’s menu. The eating places provide 12 sauces at anyone time with a stability of taste profiles: Six savory, three spicy and three candy.
In creating sauce flavors, the precept of “MAYA” is Gahagen’s north star. “MAYA stands for ‘most superior but approachable,’” she stated. It’s a precept she discovered from Christophe Poirier, chief idea officer of KFC World and a Yum Manufacturers veteran. “Company are craving extra world flavors than ever earlier than, however it’s comforting when these are paired with one thing they already love,” she added.
A roster of 12 rotating sauces encourages taste exploration.
Gahagen cites the instance of Peri-Peri Ranch, which not too long ago cycled off the menu. It mixed peri-peri peppers, which originated in South Africa however are well-liked in Britain, with all-American ranch sauce. Along with the Brussel Bites pairings above, at the moment, the sauce choice contains Chimichurri Ranch, Jalapeño Pesto Ranch and Thai Candy ‘n Spicy, together with much less adventurous Creole Honey Mustard, Candy Teriyaki and Saucy Ranch.
Most gadgets include one or two sauces, with every further one priced at 39 cents. However to encourage company to discover a number of tastes, Saucy affords a four-sauce Flight for $1.49.
“We’re persevering with to discover sauces that match our candy, spicy and savory classes and have loads of new ones coming all through 2026,” stated Gahagen, however she couldn’t share specifics proper now. “A couple of are staples, however we’ll pull some off and launch new ones and have others prepared to return again,” she added. “We let our company dictate that half.”
Decreasing kitchen chaos
Saucy’s three places are at the moment in Florida and the model is about to open a fourth restaurant within the state. Extra development is projected in 2026, and the culinary crew shall be innovating off the platforms already launched.
Specializing in one core protein eliminates chaos within the kitchen, stated Gahagen. So does cross-utilization. When she develops new gadgets, she limits further SKUs, however had to herald sure substances to convey the brand new platforms to life. That features salad greens, rice, Caesar dressing and the Brussels.
Cooking tools is proscribed, too, with fryers the main focus. A dedication to simplicity permits Saucy to obsess on innovation and high quality, she stated.
Fruity Refreshers are a platform for beverage innovation.
The beverage menu goes past the branded carbonated gentle drinks to incorporate freezes, refreshers, lemonades and iced teas. The crew has been engaged on taste innovation on the drinks facet too, with various new gadgets primed to launch in 2026, stated Gahagen.
Plenty of LTOs are additionally within the pipeline, however the advertising calendar shouldn’t be fairly finalized but. It is going to be fascinating to see the place Saucy’s innovation is accelerating to subsequent.
