Finger lickin' chicken, or is it? KFC introduces vegan range
Vegans in the US have the chance to get their hands on KFC’s “finger lickin’ good” fried food after the outlet announced its trial of plant-based chicken.
The fast-food restaurant revealed this week its collaboration with Beyond Meat to create a fried chicken option for vegan customers.
Fast-food fiends will be able to purchase the revolutionary product for the first time at an Atlanta, Georgia KFC store from Tuesday (local time).
KFC will be the first US chain to served Beyond Meat’s chicken, following other fast food outlets’ introduction of regular Beyond Meat products to their menus.
Prices start with a six-nugget combo meal selling for about A$10, and six boneless wings about $9, Forbes reported.
A roll-out of vegan fried chicken nationwide would be dependent on the success of the Atlanta store’s trial.
In a post to Instagram on Monday (local time) the official KFC page announced the trial.
“It’s Kentucky Fried Chicken but it’s made with Beyond Meat. It’s confusing, but it’s also delicious. Feast on these Kentucky Fried miracles tomorrow while they last at KFC in Atlanta, Georgia,” the post read.
The Beyond Meat website stated that while all ingredients in the product were plant based, but the fried chicken would be prepared in a shared fryer with other KFC products.
Some other outlets serving vegan meats include Burger King, Del Taco, Carl’s Jr, Cheesecake Factory, Dunkin’, Hard Rock Cafe, McDonald’s and A&W in Canada.
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Meat substitutes from either Beyond Meat or its competitor Impossible has brought promising sales for many chains, a sign of the soaring growth in the vegan market.
Stocks in Beyond Meat, which went public just three months ago, have soared as high as A$346 a share.
A vegan fried chicken burger using a Quorn fillet was added to KFC menus in the UK earlier this year.
Vegan demand growing in Australia
In Australia, research conducted by Roy Morgan found that nearly 2.5 million Australians, equivalent to about 12 per cent of the population, followed a mostly vegetarian diet.
Beyond Meat hit Australian shelves in Coles and IGA this year, and is being served at fast food outlets Soul Burger and Lord of the Fries.
An alternative plant-based mince was also introduced in Woolworths stores nationwide, and Domino’s recently announced it would be adding plant-based meats to its pizza.
Yahoo News Australia has contacted KFC Australia for an indication of whether vegan chicken might soon be available Down Under.
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