In April, US restaurant chain Buona launched a limited-edition Plant-Based Italian Beefless Sandwich. It wasn’t prepared for the response, which it described as “overwhelming” — the sandwich sold out in just a day across multiple locations.
Buona and Upton’s Naturals: “The Beefless Sandwich Has Created Its Own Category for Us, Resonating with Both Vegans and Non-Vegans Alike”
As far as institutions go, few are as revered and beloved as Chicago’s Buona Italian Beef. Since its founding in 1981, the family-owned and operated restaurant chain has established itself as a top destination for indulging in one of the city’s most popular street foods, Italian beef sandwiches. Having become famous for serving extremely meaty sandwiches, Buona shocked fans everywhere when it released a fully vegan version of its iconic Original Italian Beef, made with Upton’s Naturals seitan, in the spring of 2021. It wasn’t prepared for the response – in less than 24 hours, the Plant-Based Italian Beefless Sandwich sold out 1,800 pounds of seitan at multiple locations due to “overwhelming” customer demand, with fans enthusing the plant-based beef was indistinguishable from the original. …
