2019 has been a big year for plant-based diners. All over the world, major food corporations have recognised that their customers are more open than ever to exploring a range of meat-free dining alternatives. The result is menus that are more diverse and exciting than ever for vegans and veggies. 

There have been plenty of headline-stealing stories around plant-based fast food. Brands like KFC and Burger King have already demonstrated that fried chicken and Whoppers are perfectly capable of withstanding a vegetarian makeover. Now, news from the industry suggests that the biggest name of all is about to enter the fray. 

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According to multiple sources, McDonald’s has just announced plans to debut its first-ever fully vegan meal option in January next year. Designed to coincide with the annual celebration of “Veganuary”, the meal consists of new Veggie Dippers - made with a mix of red pepper, rice, sundried tomato pesto and split peas - which have been given the seal of approval from The Vegan Society.

Watch as Vegan Activists Storm Mcdonalds Wearing Pig Masks:

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In a press release, Thomas O'Neill, head of food marketing at McDonald's UK and Ireland, said:

"In the last 12 months we've seen an 80% uplift in customers ordering vegetarian options at McDonald's, so it is time for the brand famous for the dippable McNugget to launch a dippable option for our vegetarian, vegan and flexitarian customers.”

"The Veggie Dippers are a delicious addition to our menu and we're looking forward to seeing what customers make of our first vegan Extra Value Meal and Happy Meal in the New Year."

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The dippers are set to make their debut on the 2nd of January next year. Customers will be able to get hold of a box of four for £3.29, a meal with fries and a drink for £4.99 or as a Happy Meal for £2.99. January blues might be universally miserable, but things are at least looking positive for British vegans.

This article originally appeared on TwistedFood.co.uk

McDonald's has announced that it will soon be launching its meat-free McPlant burger.

Vegans rejoice! Because McDonald's has become the latest fast-food chain to launch a meat-free alternative on its menu. The revolutionary McPlant burger contains a patty that replicates the taste, texture, and look of beef.

The plant-based patty will be accompanied by a vegan sesame bun, mustard, ketchup, vegan sauce, onion, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and vegan cheese. Additionally, the patty will be cooked on a separate grill from other McDonald's burgers and employees will handle the sandwich and its ingredients with dedicated utensils.

Launching in the UK, the McPlant will first be available at 10 restaurants in Coventry from September 29.

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It will then be rolled out at another 250 stores from October 13, before hopefully being a national staple by next year.

The price of the burger will be just £3.49 ($4.82), which is around the same price as a single Big Mac.

Per Daily Mail, McDonald’s UK and Ireland chief marketing officer Michelle Graham-Clare said of the launch: "We’re so pleased to be finally launching McPlant in the UK and Ireland.

"As with every McDonald’s offering, we take our time to ensure it meets the highest standards and is something that all our customers will enjoy.

"We are always looking for different ways to innovate and meet our customers’ needs, and with McPlant we have a delicious plant-based burger that will appeal to everyone.

"Whether you’re vegan or just fancy a plant-based patty, we’re confident you will enjoy the McPlant."

The Daily Mail reports that the McPlant is the first in a line of meat-free alternatives coming to the popular chain. Plant-based alternatives to McDonald's chicken nuggets and breakfast sausage muffins are also in the works.

Credit: McDonald's

McDonald's UK & Ireland reportedly spent three years developing the new burger - which was created in development with LA-based plant-based pioneers Beyond Meat.

Beyond Meat's Ethan Brown said of the partnership with McDonald's: "We will combine the power of Beyond Meat's relentless approach to innovation with the strength of McDonald's global brand to introduce new plant-based menu items."

As well as vegans, the McPlant will also be aimed at flexitarians - individuals who choose to opt for more meat-free alternatives.

McDonald's own Francesca DeBiase said the launch was "all about giving customers more choices", adding: "We're excited to work with Beyond Meat to drive innovation and this is an important step on our journey to bring high-quality, plant-based menu items to our customers."

So, will you be trying the McPlant? Let us know in the comments!

Featured image credit: Alamy / Peter Scholey

2019 may be forever remembered as the year fast food finally turned green. Already we’ve seen Burger King introduce Impossible Whoppers and daytime telly hosts go into full meltdown mode over Gregg’s plant-based sausage rolls. As more big names muscle in on the act, it looks like meat’s dominance of the industry may soon come to an end. Now, even KFC have decided to get involved.

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Just in time for summer, the world’s foremost fried chicken specialists have finally launched their first ever vegan “chicken” burger. Dubbed the Imposter Burger, the sandwich has been specially created with plant-based business Quorn, finally giving vegans the opportunity to experience KFC’s signature herbs and spices.

According to early reports, the Imposter Burger is set to debut in selected UK stores on the 17th of June, and will remain available until mid-July. Rumoured to retail at £2.99 on its own, or £3.49 with a drink, the rollout will include locations in London, Bristol and the Midlands. Should the promotion prove successful, the brand have stated that they may then give the go ahead for nationwide distribution.

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Understandably, given the significance of the occasion, KFC executives have been quick to comment on the new sandwich. Victoria Robertson, the loftily-titled Chief Vegetable Enthusiast at KFC UK & Ireland stated, “Vegans have been cruelly denied the incredible taste of KFC up to now, which is why we’ve worked hard to perfect The Imposter – a vegan burger that the Colonel would be proud of.”

You think that looks good? Check out this vegan "steak":

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Other organisations have been equally enthusiastic. Quorn’s Head of Global Foodservice & QSR, Tony Davison, revealed, “A vegan KFC? We couldn’t believe it either. But we’ve done it – working with KFC we’ve created a bespoke Quorn fillet that does the Colonel’s recipe justice. We have no doubt that KFC fans are going to love the modern take on a finger lickin’ favourite.”

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All this lends further weight to the argument the fast food industry is intent on becoming more animal friendly. When asked to comment on the news, Dawn Carr, Director of Vegan Corporate Projects at PETA, said that the campaign group have been “...so excited to hear about this and play a part in KFC’s journey to reaching this game-changing new vegan range. We’re confident it will be a huge hit with the skyrocketing numbers of vegans, vegetarians, and flexitarians around the UK.” Whether or not this is a real game changer, only time will tell. But things certainly look like they’re heading in a different direction for the sector as a whole.

This article originally appeared on twisted.co.uk and was shared with permission.

This year, fast food franchises around the world have been scrambling over each other to lead the pack in plant-based produce. Already, we’ve seen giants like KFC and Burger King go toe to toe with their “Beyond Fried Chicken” and “Impossible Whopper”, respectively. As the customers have rolled in, it looks increasingly likely that meatless dining will be the future of the industry. But, despite the media storm, one industry leader has held back from entering the fray. Until now. 

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After observing the attention showered upon their rivals, McDonald’s has finally unveiled plans for a plant-based burger of their own. In a Twitter announcement, the company revealed that they will be testing their sandwich, dubbed the “PLT”, at 28 locations, starting from September 30th. Although it will only be available in Southern Ontario, the announcement is certainly a statement of intent from one of the world’s biggest fast food businesses.

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In a press release accompanying the news, McDonalds’ VP of global menu strategy, Ann Wahlgren, revealed:

"McDonald’s has a proud legacy of fun, delicious and craveable food—and now, we’re extending that to a test of a juicy, plant-based burger. We’ve been working on our recipe and now we’re ready to hear feedback from our customers."

"During this test, we’re excited to hear what customers love about the P.L.T. to help our global markets better understand what’s best for their customers. This test allows us to learn more about (the) real-world implications of serving the P.L.T., including customer demand and impact on restaurant operations.”

Check out our recipe for a Giant Meatless BBQ Quesadilla Burger:

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While veggies and vegans might be licking their lips at the prospect of the P.L.T, there have been some suggestions that the sandwich may have a downside. According to Metro, the meatless patties will be cooked on the same grill as the rest of the McDonald’s menu, meaning that they will no-longer be entirely meat-free by the time they make it to the customer.

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This was confirmed by McDonald’s Canada’s official Twitter account, who responded to a query, “No, our plant-based patty will be cooked on the same grill as other burgers, meat-based products and eggs.” Time will tell whether this issue ultimately affects the P.L.T’s success.

This article originally appeared on twistedfood.co.uk

With Veganuary well underway, plant-based diets and dishes are firmly in the spotlight. A recent study from the Vegan Society revealed that there are around 600,000 vegans now living in Britain alone, meaning that meat-free meals are increasingly on the agenda. Small wonder that fast food businesses are muscling in on the market. 

Last year saw famous brands like KFC and McDonald’s announce plans for vegan-friendly products to appeal to this growing demographic. Now, at the start of a new decade, Burger King appears to have joined the movement with the release of their Rebel Whopper. However, as quickly became abundantly clear, all was not as it seemed with the plant-based dish. 

Despite being made with a meat-free patty, it was soon revealed that the sandwich is surprisingly “not suitable” for vegans and vegetarians. According to a report by the BBC, the “soy-based version of (the) Whopper burger is cooked on the same grill as meat burgers”, meaning that it has contact with the meaty patties that it is intended to replace. To top it off, the Rebel is also served with egg-based mayonnaise. 

Watch as boy pledges to donate $1 million to veterans if Trump can go vegan for a month:

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The revelations around the dish’s cooking method prompted an almost immediate backlash on social media. Several accused the brand of “jumping on the bandwagon” of veganism, while Lifestyle blogger Donna Wishart wrote on Twitter:

“And it’s served with mayonnaise with eggs in. When every other fast food company is delivering actual vegan products it’s such a shame Burger King can’t be bothered to do the same.”

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Sam Calvert, head of communications at the Vegan Society, echoed these claims, stating that the decision to not make the new burger vegan "seems a missed opportunity" and that products like vegan mayonnaise are “readily available” and used by competitors.

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Though the backlash was severe, Burger King quickly issued a response. Katie Evans, marketing director for the brand, said the burger was aimed at "flexitarians" and was intended to recreate Burger King’s "flame-grilled taste" as closely as possible. 

Perhaps surprisingly, Toni Vernelli, international head of communications and marketing at Veganuary, also rejected the idea that the brand was attempting to "capitalize on the vegan pound", insisting that "increasing the availability of plant-based options" was ultimately the best way to reduce overall meat consumption.

This article originally appeared on TwistedFood.co.uk

With more than 22,000 restaurants in 136 counties, KFC is undoubtedly one of the most popular and dominant names in the fast-food industry.

However, as time goes on, more and more people are opening their eyes to the impact meat-farming has on the planet, and many others are simply choosing to shun meat-based products for moral reasons - believing that no animal should be bred simply to be killed and eaten.

Last year, The Economist published an article detailing how 2019 would be the year of the vegan, stating:

"In America in 2015, according to one survey, 3.4% of the population were vegetarian and just 0.4% were vegan. But 2019 will be the year veganism goes mainstream."

Love meat and fast-food? Then you'll love watching this GIANT mayo chicken be constructed:

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And there's no denying this has been the case. More and more supermarkets, outlets, and restaurants are selling vegan products, with global giants McDonald's even releasing McVegan burgers. As The Economist states:

"Giant food firms are clambering onto the bandwagon, creating vegan lines of their own, buying startups, or both. Tyson Foods, a meat behemoth, has a 5% stake in Beyond Meat, which sells meat-free patties to TGI Friday’s."

Now, the Colonel is getting in on the plant-based lifestyle, and is teaming up with Beyond Meat to bring vegan KFC meals to the States.

Per FoodBeast.com, as of August 27, KFC will start selling their new range of vegan products in the US. This comes after vegan products were successfully trialed in the UK. Check out these happy customers (being honest, the products look delicious):

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The first items on the US menu will include two different Beyond Fried Chicken options. You can order yourself some nuggets with a choice of dipping sauce or boneless "wings" tossed in either Nashville Hot, Honey BBQ, or Buffalo sauce.

And the prices are very fair, too. The four-nugget option will cost just $1.99, and there are also combo meals featuring 6 or 12 nuggets for $6.49 or $8.49, respectively. As for the "wings", they're up for grabs for just $6 for 6, or a full dozen for $12.

However, these options won't be available to everyone just yet. KFC is looking to trial the new meat-free option at just one location only for now - and that's at the following restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia:

2637 Cobb Pkwy South East, Smyrna, Ga.

On August 27, complimentary samples of the vegan products will be given out between 10:30 am and 6:30 pm local time, and feedback from this test will determine whether or not the Beyond nuggets and boneless wings will be hitting more restaurants nationwide.

Remember, it's best to try and support the increase of vegan products, and not act like this guy:

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If you think about it, it's very smart business from KFC - simple supply and demand. And to anybody who is annoyed by this news, just remember how grateful we are to even have just a diverse choice when it comes to what we eat.