This postal service is delivering KFC, because there's not enough mail now

With the numbers of letters being sent each year plunging, it's no surprise postal services are turning to other, more creative revenue sources.

The enterprising New Zealand Post, for one, are turning to fried chicken deliveries. In a partnership with KFC, naturally.

The pilot will be rolling out to Tauranga, following an initial launch in Hamilton this February. Customers order through the KFC Delivery website, and the food will be delivered by an NZ Post driver.

Restaurant Brands NZ, who operates KFC, said the deal came about because despite being "experts" at making food, they needed a little help with logistics.

"NZ Post has an extensive delivery distribution network around New Zealand, and KFC is available in most towns nationwide," Restaurant Brands NZ CEO, Ian Letele, said in a statement.

"With the support of NZ Post, we hope to service the home delivery needs of many more KFC customers throughout New Zealand."

In March, NZ Post increased postal rates due to the continuing decline in mail being sent. Letter volumes are falling at a rate of approximately 60 million items a year, said a spokesperson.

"All post offices around the world are struggling with what to do when mail disappears, we want to survive for another 100 years but we urgently need to diversify our business," Mike Stewart, a spokesman for the NZ Post, told The Guardian.

"People want their goods on-demand delivered to their home in 30-60 minutes, that seems to be where the world is going. So we've been experimenting with being the delivery service for the health sector, the construction sector and especially hospitality ... it is an exciting time for us."

The new KFC Delivery drivers hired by NZ Post are mostly students or retirees, who will use their own transport and smartphones.

But NZ posties are free to apply for the KFC shifts too, and deliveries with NZ Post vehicles is "not out of the question," Stewart told the news outlet.

Who knows, maybe soon enough beloved children's character Postman Pat will be known as Deliveroo Pat. Or Uber Eats Pat. You get the gist.