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Fast-food giant McDonald’s announced the impending launch of its vegan McPlant range earlier this month.
The chain said it would be henceforth testing a plant-based burger in multiple markets from next year. In addition, it will test both breakfast sandwiches and chicken alternatives.
‘An anomaly in the fast-food world’
One report states the range will be created in-house. Bloomberg strategist Kyle Stock said: “The decision to keep its veggie-forward products in-house, announced last week, is certainly an anomaly in the fast-food world.
“Beyond Meat has packed in licensing deals with a crowd of chains, most notably Dunkin’ and Tim Hortons. Impossible Foods, a rival, has its meat-esque wares in thousands as well, including Burger King.
“McDonald’s was the big prize in the burger wars and it quietly just left the battlefield.”
However, Beyond Meat has now announced a three-year global strategic agreement with McDonald’s Corporation.
As part of the agreement, Beyond Meat® will be McDonald’s preferred supplier for the patty in the McPlant®, a new plant-based burger being tested in select McDonald’s markets globally. In addition, Beyond Meat and McDonald’s will explore co-developing other plant-based menu items – like plant-based options for chicken, pork and egg – as part of McDonald’s broader McPlant platform.
Vegan McPlant range
The McPlant vegan range has been met with heavy criticism from T.V host Piers Morgan.
The anti-vegan presenter branded the range ‘total nonsense’ last week – suggesting the burger should be called something else.
He said: “The McPlant, the meat-free range, it’s obviously total nonsense. Look it up in the dictionary, a burger is a meat product, so is a sausage. Why do vegans want to use our language?”
His co-host Susanna Reid argued: “A veggie burger is a burger. It’s a burger… just because it doesn’t meat in it…it’s a burger.”
