Fast food giants Burger King and KFC are exploring adding more vegetarian options to their menus, as global demand for alternatives options to traditional meat meals increases. Burger King has made the decision to have half of its menus comprise of plant-based offerings by 2030.
Burger King believes that keeping meat on only half its menu will lower its greenhouse gas emissions by 41% and the company plans to emit zero carbon emissions by 2050.
“We’re pleased to announce the launch of BKUK’s new vegan nuggets across our menus nationwide – an important next step in achieving our target of a 50% meat-free menu by 2030,” said Alasdair Murdoch, Burger King UK chief executive, to New Food Magazine.
“Adapting to customer preferences is a key focus at Burger King whether through clear nutrition and allergen labeling or by offering vegan and vegetarian options.
“The launch is another positive step in reducing our carbon footprint and driving innovation in our menus in response to the growing demand for meatless alternatives and products with no animal protein in the UK,” he added.
Other fast food giants
Meanwhile, KFC, a subsidiary of Yum Brands Inc, has announced that it would begin selling Beyond Meat Inc’s plant-based fried “chicken” across the United States for a limited period.
According to a corporate release, the Beyond Fried Chicken at KFC starts at $6.99 in most locations but will vary by region.
In August 2019, the chain began testing Beyond’s plant-based chicken in Atlanta, and the following year it extended to other places.
Yum and Beyond established a global cooperation in February 2021 to develop plant-based menu options for Yum’s KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut over “a number of years.”
Major fast food companies have been pushing for collaborations with imitation meat producers as they increase vegan and vegetarian menu options as the plant-based craze reaches fever pitch.
Meanwhile, the Greggs vegan sausage roll and vegan steak bake have proven to be incredibly popular in the UK, while McDonald’s just debuted its vegan McPlant burger.
