The KFC Candle Will Fill Your Home With the Scent of Fried Chicken

Do you ever arrive home from a long day, flop onto the couch and think to yourself, “My living space would be vastly improved if it smelled like fried chicken”? Well, you may be in luck, as international fried chicken conglomerate KFC has produced a limited-edition scented candle.

Unfortunately though, this was relegated to KFC New Zealand, and the candle isn’t actually for sale — rather, it was part of a social media giveaway.

In order to win one of the candles, KFC asked followers to suggest other ideas for KFC merchandise, giving a possible sneak peek into the future of KFC-branded personal care and décor — memorable ideas include fried chicken lip balm, deodorant, and bath bombs, for those who want the immersive KFC experience.

This is not KFC’s first attempt at branching out of its deep-fried niche. For a moment, it looked like they were gearing up to take on Walgreens with both chicken-scented sunscreen and edible nail polish (available in both original and spicy varieties!).

Other brands seem eager to try out a similar strategy: Pizza Hut has produced both a très French perfume, “Eau de Pizza Hut”, and nail polish, and Cheetos made its own bronzer.

When KFC released its sunscreen back in August, KFC marketing executive Kevin Hochman explained the company’s rationale to Business Insider. "Suntan lotion always smells like lotion. So we thought — why not make it smell like fried chicken?"

But read a little deeper into Hochman’s comments and there’s some pretty astute commentary on the state of contemporary consumer culture: If KFC can become a homewares company and Cheetos a cosmetics brand, the possibilities are disturbingly endless. The name “KFC” could no longer refer to a fried chicken joint, but a nebulous and fluid concept that can be whatever the consumer needs it to be. Welcome to the future.

• KFC's Fried Chicken-Scented Sunscreen Ensures You Won't Get Extra-Crispy [E]
• KFC’s Edible Nail Polish Takes Its Finger Lickin’ Good Slogan Very Literally [Racked]

Watch: Oprah is a big fan of this fried chicken