KFC Heads to Italy's Luxury Ski Slopes, and a Shareholder Wants Lawyers Involved

KFC will open its first high-altitude restaurants in Italy on December 5, and a majority shareholder in the mountain's operating company is already threatening to sue over it.

The chain's Italian arm plans two locations in Cortina d'Ampezzo and Madonna di Campiglio, Italy's most famous luxury ski destinations. KFC is running the project with Super G, an Italian company that specializes in mountain restaurants and après-ski entertainment.

The Cortina location will sit on Mount Faloria, inside the Faloria Mountain Club. KFC says the move is deliberately designed to raise eyebrows.

"We really wanted this project because it perfectly represents how we envision KFC's evolution: continuing to surprise, reaching places where no one would expect to find us, and doing so without sacrificing what makes us unique," Marzia Farè, chief marketing officer of KFC Italy, told Voci di Cortina.

Why is a shareholder threatening legal action?

Alberico Zardini doesn't want fried chicken on his mountain. Zardini is a majority shareholder in Faloria Spa, the company that manages the infrastructure on Mount Faloria. He has written to Faloria's management warning he will pursue legal action if the KFC project moves ahead.

"The mere idea is disgraceful," Zardini told Il Messaggero. "It's absurd and shameful to imagine a fast-food joint in the most beautiful spot in Cortina. Do the people of Cortina not realize what we're risking here?"

He's explicit about what comes next. If Faloria Spa doesn't reverse course, Zardini said he would "denounce the board of directors and the director."

His objection centers on the contrast between the KFC plan and what the mountain refuge was meant to become.

"On the third floor of the refuge, the construction of a luxury restaurant is planned. And what do we do underneath? Do we sell fried chicken? I am one hundred percent against it. And I will not stand still," Zardini said.

What does the deal actually involve?

The December 5 openings mark KFC's debut on Italy's alpine slopes. The company framed the move as part of a broader strategy: reach places where nobody would expect to find the brand, and surprise customers along the way.

The partnership with Super G gives KFC a foothold in mountain hospitality — a segment built around premium restaurants and après-ski entertainment rather than fast food. The Faloria Mountain Club location puts the chain directly inside one of Cortina's signature venues, at altitude.

Why Cortina matters to both sides

Cortina d'Ampezzo and Madonna di Campiglio sit at the top end of Italian skiing. They're resorts known for luxury clientele, high-end dining and carefully guarded image — which is exactly what makes them attractive to a brand looking to surprise, and exactly what makes locals like Zardini bristle.

For KFC Italy, the calculated risk is brand visibility in unexpected, premium settings. For Zardini and critics who say the chain doesn't belong there, the risk runs the other way: a fast-food outlet diluting the character of what he calls "the most beautiful spot in Cortina."

What happens before December 5?

Zardini has put Faloria Spa's board on notice. His letter demands the company abandon the KFC project, and he's pledged to report the board of directors and the director if it doesn't. Whether that threat slows the opening — or turns into an actual legal fight — will play out in the weeks before the planned December 5 launch. Either way, the fight over fried chicken on Mount Faloria is now a test of how far a global fast-food brand can push into Italy's most protected luxury terrain.