It’s been more than 10 years since US fast food giant Yum! Brands first mooted opening a store in Tibet.

But next year the plan is set to come to fruition following the appointment of a franchisee there.

KFC dropped plans to open an outlet there in 2004 on economic grounds – but the plan was opposed at the time by Tibet’s exiled leader the Dalai Lama, who is a staunch vegetarian.

Now, the first KFC Tibet outlet is scheduled to open in the first half of next year – part of a massive expansion program for the deep fried chicken brand.

Yum! is preparing to spin off its China operations and almost treble the current 6900-strong store network to about 20,000 through a franchising program.

The first KFC Tibet store will open in the capital city, Lhasa.