KFC Donates Over $200,000 to Surf Life Saving New Zealand for 2022/23 Season

KFC has proudly donated an incredible $207,500 to Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) for the 2022/23 season.

This marked the 10^th season of partnership between KFC and SLSNZ, and the ongoing support from KFC has made a huge impact in raising public awareness about water safety and supporting the vital work of Surf Lifeguards.

The 2022/23 season was particularly busy for Surf Lifeguards, who patrolled 92 beaches, logged over 221,000 hours on duty, and saved 1,249 lives.

SLSNZ CEO, Paul Dalton, said, “These figures demonstrate the critical importance of Surf Lifeguards in keeping communities safe not only at the beach but during states of emergency as this season, our crews were an integral part of the emergency response during and after Cyclone Gabrielle.”

Dalton said, “Without the support of KFC, SLSNZ would not have been able to carry out the extensive work it did.  To date, KFC has raised over $1.675 million for SLSNZ and as a volunteer-based charity, ongoing support and funding like this is essential for SLSNZ to continue its hard work across Aotearoa.”

One of the most successful promotions during the season was the limited edition KFC merchandise, which included a Hawaiian shirt, towels, bucket hats, and a one-of-a-kind, KFC-branded surfboard that sold at auction for an impressive $1,300.  The public could buy these items, with 100% of the proceeds going to support SLSNZ.

Additionally, $27,000 was raised from KFC’s sponsorship of the Over for Good at the Black Clash, and the company donated money from every bucket of chicken sold during the summer.  This was all supported by a successful and extremely popular television commercial.

KFC’s General Manager of Marketing, Clark Wilson, said, “We are thrilled to have been able to raise these funds and make a difference in the lives of so many New Zealanders.  We are committed to continuing our support for SLSNZ, and we hope to make an even bigger impact in the coming years.”

Dalton said, “Teaming up with KFC has helped us spread the word on safety and with their backing, we can continue to educate, train and support our 74 clubs and 4,300 Surf Lifeguards so they can continue doing what they do best – keeping New Zealanders safe.”