Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is getting into the plant-based meat substitute hype train, a trend that has been catching on in the United States as consumers shift to healthier food options. KFC announced this week that it will be testing out Beyond Meat's latest fake chicken meat in one of its restaurants in Smyrna, Georgia.
The brand new addition to the restaurant's menu will be called "Beyond Fried Chicken." The menu item will be utilizing Beyond Meat's latest product, which it had added to its lineup of plant-based fake meats that include burger patties, ground beef, and sausages.
KFC will be offering two particular options for its customers in Georgia, namely chicken nuggets and boneless wings using Beyond Meat's plant-based product.
The company will be offering the new items in a variety of combo meals, which are priced similarly to its real chicken products. In its advertising campaign, KFC mentioned that its new plant-based chicken products are "still finger linckin' good."
With the launch of the new menu item in its restaurant near Atlanta's Sun Trust Park, KFC will become the first US restaurants to test Beyond Meat's fake chicken. Plant-based meats have recently grown in popularity in the United States, both in restaurants and in supermarkets across the nation. This has mostly been attributed to the radical shift in consumer taste, which has now leaned more towards environmental friends and healthier food options.
Beyond Meat is currently one of the leading companies that are at the forefront of the new food technology. The company recently saw it's stock prices jump by more than five times its original initial public offering (IPO) price back in May. At its peak, Beyond Meat saw it's stock prices go as high as $250 per share, a massive jump from its original $25 IPO price.
According to KFC, the initial test of the new product will only be limited to one restaurant for a short amount of time. However, if the product is a hit with customers, the company is considering an expansion of its availability.
Apart from KFC, other fast-food chains that have already jumped on the bandwagon include Burger King. The Florida-based company recently introduced its new Impossible Whopper in its restaurants all across the United States.
The company is using plant-based meats from Beyond Meat's biggest rival, Impossible Foods.
Other restaurants that have started to expand their menu items with plant-based meat products include Tim Hortons and Dunkin Donuts. Tim Hortons currently offers a variety of breakfast sandwiches that use Beyond Meat's products.
Dunkin Donuts is currently offering Beyond Meat sausage and egg sandwiches in its New York outlets, with plans to expand availability in the coming months.
