As people continue to post fewer and fewer letters, New Zealand’s postal service is hoping that a collaboration with fast food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken can help it make up for disappearing postage income.
NZ Post has started a pilot scheme that sees its drivers deliver KFC to homes in the northern city of Tauranga, according to the New Zealand Herald.
KFC said it partnered with the country’s post office because of their logistical expertise. “NZ Post has an extensive delivery distribution network around New Zealand, and KFC is available in most towns nationwide,” said Ian Letele, CEO of Restaurant Brands, which operates KFC New Zealand. “With the support of NZ Post, we hope to service the home delivery needs of many more KFC customers throughout New Zealand.”
The partnership could also be a finger-lickin’ solution to the ever-shrinking mail business, reports the Guardian. “All post offices around the world are struggling with what to do when mail disappears,” said Mike Stewart, a spokesperson for NZ Post. “We want to survive for another 100 years but we urgently need to diversify our business.”
The number of letters sent in New Zealand has halved over the last 10 years. Recent cost-cutting measures have included postage increases and reduction of delivery days in rural areas.
Stewart said that deliveries by actual NZ Post mail carriers and vans are “not out of the question,” but the Guardian noted that most of the 30 drivers hired for the Tauranga effort so far are retirees or students who coordinate dispatches with their own vehicles and smartphones.
