Following the news last month that KFC China was trialling vegan chicken nuggets, it has been reported that the outcome of the consumer trial couldn’t have been clearer in Shanghai: pre-sale coupons for the first day sold out within one hour.
Pre-sale coupons were required for participating in the test and over 7,000 were purchased on the KFC app. The trial was so successful that the producer of the nuggets, US agribusiness giant Cargill, went on to announce that it is planning to launch a range of plant-based products for release in China next month, under the brand Plant Ever.
China is currently of prominent interest in the vegan business world and its food industry is on the cusp of a production overhaul following a series of diseases caused by animal mismanagement. Recently the country has started to clamp down on some of its archaic practices with wild animals and consumer demand is also changing as the Chinese begin to embrace alternatives. Local companies like OmniFoods and Zhenmeats are poised to be a part of the revolution.
A press release for the KFC trial stated that the KFC Plant-Based Chicken Nuggets include high-quality protein such as soy, wheat, and pea. After being cooked, KFC’s famous crispy golden layer is added, perfected for Chinese palates with a small amount of locally sourced water chestnut to make the KFC Plant-Based Chicken Nuggets juicer.
Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China: “We are committed to embracing innovation and continue to delight and surprise our customers with tasty products. The test of KFC’s Plant-Based Chicken Nuggets caters to the growing market in China for delicious alternative meat options on the go. We believe that testing the plant-based chicken concept with one of our most iconic products will take this increasingly popular meatless trend to a new level.”
