Foreign Brands' China Stories: China's first western food chain on the reform and opening up

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While many new businesses will be hoping to enter the Chinese market at next month's import expo in Shanghai, there is no shortage of foreign brands that have successfully made their trademarks known in the country. Today, we begin a series looking at overseas companies that have managed to establish a long-standing legacy in the world's second largest marketplace.

International food chains run their businesses with different approaches from country to country. For example, KFC's restaurants in America differ from its China locations. So in 30 years, how has the fried chicken powerhouse found it's way in China? CGTN's Zhao Yunfei went to the nation's first KFC in Beijing.

Colonel Sanders' original recipe chicken tastes the same as it did 30 years ago when KFC first came to China.

But one change - the price has quadrupled!

It's a western restaurant chain, but it has carved its history into China's reform and opening up.

It all began with this store in Beijing. And the fast food fast became a fashion food.

"The concept of fast food was so fresh back then, so we made our plans to go check it out together."

"At that time, going to KFC was a big deal. We went there only on certain holidays such as Children's Day."

ZHAO YUNFEI BEIJING "When it opened on November 12, 1987, KFC was still known as Kentucky Fried Chicken! With this big sign telling its legacy in China, the nation's first KFC, located in the heart of Beijing, has become an icon for many who stop by to recall memories."

This was the scene when KFC first opened in China.

Back then, dining at a foreign brand restaurant was a way to show identity, some people even had their weddings at KFC!

JOEY WAT CEO, YUM CHINA "If you think about the salary of people at that time, 30-40 yuan was pretty standard for their monthly paycheck, and you spend two and a half yuan on one piece of chicken. That is pretty expensive, but if you think about this is your chance to see how a foreign culture looks like, feels like and tastes like, that seems pretty affordable in a way."

Colonel Sanders's first three decades in China have gone fairly smoothly - with a few bumps in the road.

Food safety concerns have made many Chinese consumers sensitive about what they're eating.

JOEY WAT CEO, YUM CHINA "We are confident enough to open any of our kitchens to the public to see how we operate, to see how we teach our staff to wash their hands to start with."

KFC is no longer the only American fast food option for Chinese customers.

As the market expands and competition heats up, restaurants are focusing on widening their range of menus and developing digital ordering and delivery platforms, many of the efforts have to do with localizing in China.

Zhao Yunfei, CGTN.