KFC's owner turns down free land from animal rights group

Yum Brands, the fast-food conglomerate, wanted to buy property for a Taco Bell in Norfolk, Virginia, on the site of a former appliance store. But the identity of the seller turned out to be an unpleasant surprise. The real estate department of Yum Brands made a $1 million offer this month for property on the corner of Monticello Avenue and 20th Street, on the fringes of downtown Norfolk. Unbeknownst to Yum, the property was owned by the PETA Foundation, a group that provides support services for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, known as PETA. The animal rights group has been engaged in a campaign against KFC, the Kentucky Fried Chicken chain owned by Yum Brands. The campaign, called Kentucky Fried Cruelty, has sought to force the chain to adopt more stringent animal welfare guidelines.

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