McPlant nuggets

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Fast Food

McDonald’s France Launches McPlant Nuggets in Collaboration With Beyond Meat

McDonald’s France has partnered with Beyond Meat to launch a new menu option, Veggie McPlant Nuggets, at its 1,560 restaurants. The nuggets are made from pea protein and coated in a wheat and cornflour breading. They are available at the same price as McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets, and in the same formats (x4, x6, x9, and x20). As reported by Le Figaro, consumers responded very positively to the nuggets in taste tests, favourably comparing them to the meat-based McNuggets. The fast food chain said it was confident that the product would be a success. While McDonald’s has previously offered meat-free options in France, they have often been limited-edition, and unsuitable for vegans due to the inclusion of dairy or eggs. In contrast, the new nuggets are …

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Mcdonald's Mcplant

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Fast Food

McDonald’s Says McPlant Trial Was Unsuccessful in the US, Meanwhile Ongoing Expansion Continues in Europe

Joe Erlinger, the president of McDonald’s US, has said that trials of the McPlant burger in the country were not successful, despite the ongoing expansion of the menu option in Europe. Speaking at the Wall Street Journal Global Food Forum in Chicago, Erlinger said the burger had been tested in two US cities — San Francisco and Dallas — but had not performed well enough in either one. Consequently, McDonald’s US does not have immediate plans to introduce plant-based options; however, Erlinger said the chain would continue to monitor the plant-based meat trend. He noted that there was little demand for healthier options at McDonald’s US, with even salads having been discontinued due to poor sales. Additionally, he said the prices of plant-based products were …

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McDonald's vegan ice cream

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Fast Food

McDonald’s Trials Vegan Ice Cream in the UK

McDonald’s has announced it is trialling a new “deliciously smooth and creamy” vegan ice cream in the UK, available in two flavours — Choco and Strawberry. Called the Vegan Scoop, the ice cream costs £1.59 and is served in a tub like a McFlurry. It has been certified as vegan by The Vegetarian Society, though McDonald’s warns that it may not be suitable for those with milk allergies as it is made in a facility that handles dairy. Initially, the ice cream will only be available at 52 locations in the North West of England, including several restaurants in Manchester and Stockport. The trial will run until September 3, and if successful, the Vegan Scoop may launch UK-wide next year. McDonald’s is also trialling another …

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Mcdonald's Mcplant

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Products & Launches

McDonald’s Launches the McPlant in Switzerland and Slovenia

McDonald’s continues its global plant-based menu expansion following the successful launch of the McPlant Steakhouse in the Netherlands, which features a patty co-developed with Beyond Meat and three other new plant-based options. Now, Switzerland and Slovenia are the latest European destinations to add meatless offerings to the menu. McPlant in Switzerland As the popularity of flexitarianism continues to grow in Switzerland, McDonald’s is catering to the demand by introducing the McPlant to the menu. The plant-based patty is crafted in collaboration with Beyond Meat and can be served entirely plant-based by omitting the cheese and sauce.  Lara Skripitsky, managing director of McDonald’s Switzerland, highlights: “With the McPlant, we offer our guests who eat flexitarian food even more choice. The McPlant patty is made from plant-based …

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McDonald's Netherlands new meatless options

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Fast Food

McDonald’s Netherlands Launches More Meatless Options, Places Them Before Beef on Menus

McDonald’s Netherlands has added four new options to its meatless range, as the chain works to encourage customers to choose more sustainable alternatives. The new menu items are: McPlant Steakhouse: A beef-style burger with chargrill sauce, temporarily available alongside the original McPlant. The burger is fully plant-based if ordered without cheese. Meatless McKroket: A breaded jackfruit burger that will temporarily replace the conventional meat-based McKroket. The burger is plant-based if ordered without sauce. In blind taste tests, many testers reportedly did not notice that the patty was meatless and described it as having a “signature McDonald’s taste”. Veggie Nuggets: A vegetarian option that will be permanently available. The nuggets contain dairy and eggs, making them unsuitable for vegans. Veggie Chicken Honey Mustard Salad: A salad …

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Burger King Costa Rica

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Fast Food

Global Fast Food Chains Become Increasingly Plant-Friendly, Normalizing Sustainable Food

A report by ProVeg has found that the five leading global fast food chains — McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, Pizza Hut, and KFC — are increasingly offering a range of plant-based options. The research looked at the plant-based dishes offered by the chains in Belgium, Czechia, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, South Africa, Spain, the UK, and the US. The chains were then ranked based on these findings, with main meals, sides, and desserts all taken into account. Burger King tops the list Burger King topped the list due to its wide range of animal-free main dishes. Yesterday (August 8) marked four years since the chain’s Impossible Whopper rolled out across the US; since then, plant-based Whoppers have become widely available in numerous countries, along with …

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Steve Easterbrook

Steve Easterbrook ©McDonald's

Fast Food

Social Media Outrage in Germany as McPlant Burger & McPlant Nuggets Deemed Unsuitable Even for Vegetarians

Earlier this month, McDonald’s Germany announced the nationwide launch of the McPlant burger and McPlant nuggets in Germany. Since the launch, social media outrage has ensued in the country, as it has emerged that these products are neither suitable for vegans nor vegetarians due to the sauces used in their preparation and that the products may come into contact with animal flesh when prepared on the same grill. Vegan options removed Additionally, with the introduction of these products, vegan-friendly burgers are removed from the menu. McDonald’s Germany has omitted the vegan burgers “Veganburger TS” and “Fresh Vegan TS” from menus, citing low demand, exchanging them for the Beyond Meat products, with the burger apparently containing cheese and an egg-based sauce. McDonald’s openly states “not vegan …

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McPlant plant-based burger

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Products & Launches

McDonald’s and Beyond Meat Debut First-Ever Plant-Based McNuggets in Germany

EDIT 27th Feb 2023: it has emerged that these products are unsuitable for vegans or vegetarians. Please refer to our updated article here https://vegconomist.com/gastronomy-food-service/fast-food/social-media-outrage-mcplant-burger-unsuitable-vegetarians/ McDonald’s announces it is launching its first-ever plant-based McNuggets, made in partnership with Beyond Meat (Nasdaq: BYND) in 1,400 restaurants across Germany.  Beginning Feb. 22, German customers can order the new McNuggets along with Beyond’s McPlant burger, which the chain is also adding to the country’s menu.  Successful trial  According to McDonald’s, it worked with Beyond Meat to develop the McNuggets, which were trialed at nine restaurants in Stuttgart last summer. The nuggets are made from peas, corn, wheat and tempura breading.  Availability of the McPlant nuggets and burger in future markets will depend on customer demand, McDonald’s stated.  Latest collaboration …

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Beyond Burger in Store

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Company News

Beyond Meat Hires Red Bull Exec as New Head of Marketing, Reveals New McDonald’s Nugget

Beyond Meat (NASDAQ: BYND) announced Thursday it is hiring Akerho “AK” Oghoghomeh, formerly Senior Vice President of Marketing at Red Bull, as its new head of global marketing. In addition, the company outlined a new series of strategic plans, including a more focused US retail strategy, to increase sales in 2023. Leading the brand As the VP of marketing for Red Bull North America, Oghoghomeh led advertising and other initiatives for Red Bull’s US business, a Beyond spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal.  Oghoghomeh will join Beyond as the company seeks to reverse sales declines amid a highly challenging economic environment – data from market research firm IRI shows US sales of refrigerated meat alternatives fell by 15% in 2022.  Targeted strategy Seeking to reverse …

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Plant-based burger McPlant

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Fast Food

McDonald’s Netherlands Adds McPlant to Menus Following Successful Trial

McDonald’s Netherlands has recently announced that its plant-based burger McPlant™ is now part of the regular menu at all its locations across the country. The meat-free alternative will remain on the fast food chain’s menu due to high consumer demand. Last year, McDonald’s Netherlands tested the plant-based burger’s popularity in a year-long pilot test, which was a success.  Since its debut in 2020, the McPlant™ has been conquering markets, including Sweden, the UK, and Austria. This year, it launched across Australia and recently arrived in Portugal nationwide.  Stijn Mentrop, marketing director at McDonald’s Netherlands, commented: “We are pleased with the permanent place of the McPlant™ on the menu. During the temporary introduction last year, we received many positive comments from our guests about the taste of …

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McPlant Portugal

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Fast Food

McPlant Arrives in McDonald’s Portugal, Rolling Into 190 Locations Nationwide

As of 8th September, McDonald’s Portugal is now offering the McPlant, a plant-based burger exclusively developed in collaboration with Beyond Meat. The burger is now available at all of the country’s 190 restaurants. McDonalds partnered with Beyond Meat initially in 2020 to bring plant-based meat to its menu, signing a 3 year deal for the collaboration in 2021. The item rolled out into the UK and Ireland then trialled in Texas, Iowa, Louisiana, and California before expanding into 600 locations across the US in early 2022. This year the McPlant arrived in Australia and saw success in Ireland, where McDonald’s has said it is “delighted” with its sales performance. “Long-awaited” Sérgio Leal, marketing and communications director of McDonald’s Portugal, commented: “The arrival of McPlant in …

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McPlant plant-based burger

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Fast Food

McDonald’s Reports High Demand for McPlant Burger in Ireland

As reported by Farming Independent, McDonald’s has said it is “delighted” with the performance of its meat-free McPlant burger in Ireland. The McPlant launched at all 95 McDonald’s stores in Ireland at the beginning of the year. The rollout had been delayed by the chain’s search for a suitable plant-based cheese; it eventually decided to create its own in collaboration with Kerry. Despite the burger’s success, McDonald’s says it does not currently have any plans to expand its plant-based range. Other markets The McPlant’s positive reception in Ireland will be a relief to McDonald’s, after US sales fell short of expectations when the burger was rolled out at 600 locations in January (though a campaign by PETA subsequently helped to boost sales). The McPlant burger …

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Mr Charlies

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Fast Food

“Vegan McDonald’s” Mr. Charlie’s Reports “Overwhelming” Response From Social Media

Several months after opening in LA, vegan fast food restaurant Mr. Charlie’s has become a viral sensation on TikTok and Instagram, with celebrity food reviews attracting millions of views.  Mr. Charlie’s is owned by Charlie Kim, who first leased the storefront location on LaBrea Avenue last year. After meeting business partners Taylor and Aaron, the three opened Mr. Charlie’s on Valentine’s Day 2022, about which vegconomist reported last March. Branded with highly familiar red-and-yellow packaging and logos, Mr. Charlie’s serves plant-based versions of classic fast food like Impossible cheeseburgers and fries, plant-based chicken nuggets and their signature Frowny Meal.  The brand was quickly dubbed the “Vegan McDonald’s” online, but Mr. Charlie’s founders say the restaurant is building its own name. “We just really came up …

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PETA McPlant Giveaway

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Charity & Campaigns

PETA’s “10,000 McPlants in 10 Days” Campaign Boosts Sales for McDonald’s Vegan Burger

Animal rights organization PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) recently wrapped up a free public giveaway of McDonald’s McPlant burgers across cities in Texas and California. The promotion was designed to increase visibility and sales for the Beyond Meat-made burger, which is still in a limited testing phase. According to preliminary sales reports, the organization succeeded in its goals: the giveaway led to a much-needed sales boost for the McPlant, which has reportedly seen slower demand since its rollout expanded from eight to 600 Mcdonald’s stores in February.  10,000 burgers in 10 days PETA worked with Mcdonald’s operators to place bulk orders for the McPlants in cities from Dallas, Irving and Fort Worth to Oakland and San Francisco, reports Bloomberg. During the campaign, …

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vegan McFlurry

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Fast Food

McDonald’s Germany Introduces Vegan McFlurry Ice Cream

McDonald’s Germany launches a vegan chocolate soft ice cream base for McFlurry® and McSundae® which can be ordered with vegan KitKat® wafer pieces and a vegan strawberry sauce. “Vegan and vegetarian meals have not been a niche trend for a long time – and we as a brand also want to and will continue to develop here. Becoming better also means breaking new ground – for our company and our planet,” says Susan Schramm, Marketing Director of McDonald’s Germany. “Our new vegan chocolate soft serve combination brings even more variety to our colourful McFlurry world and thus meets the exact taste of our dessert fans.” The vegan McFlurry items are to remain as a permanent offering in Germany and we will report more on further …

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Mr Charlies

©Mr. Charlie's

Fast Food

Mr. Charlie’s Launches in LA Bearing Striking Resemblance to McDonald’s

Mr. Charlie’s, an LA vegan fast-food restaurant, is causing a stir online due to its striking resemblance to McDonald’s. The fully plant-based burger joint features the iconic red and yellow branding as well as the “smile” logo famous from McDonald’s happy meals – but this time it is turned upside down. Describing itself as “An Exhibition of Plants”, Mr. Charlie’s menu features the Frowny Meal as opposed to the Happy Meal, and McDonald’s inspired burgers made with Impossible Foods patties. The Mr. Charlie’s store can be found on 612 N. La Brea Ave, LA and is also available via DoorDash. The vegan burger joint is not the only plant-based player to pay homage to McDonald’s, with the UK’s Ready Burger also taking its cues from …

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Plant-based burger McPlant

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Food & Beverage

McDonald’s Expands Beyond Meat McPlant Burger to 600 US Locations

McDonald’s announces the fast food chain is expanding a trial of the McPlant burger to hundreds of new locations in Texas and California.  Beginning February 14, the McPlant burger will be available for a limited time on McDonald’s menus in the San Francisco Bay and Dallas-Ft. Worth areas. The burgers can be made vegan by ordering without mayonnaise or cheese. According to a website post, McDonald’s says the larger trial will help the burger chain gain further insight into customer demand for the item.  Remaking an iconic burger The McPlant burger was created by Beyond Meat exclusively for McDonald’s and is made from a blend of peas, rice and potatoes. Intended to offer the same taste and texture as “an iconic McDonald’s burger”, the McPlant …

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Plant-based burger Mcplant McDonald's and Beyond Meat burger

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Food & Beverage

McDonald’s McPlant Burger May Roll Out Across USA Soon

McDonald’s and Beyond Meat’s McPlant could roll out nationwide by late spring of 2022,  according to Wall Street analysts.  On November 3, McDonald’s began a trial run of the McPlant at eight restaurant locations in Texas, Iowa, Louisiana, and California. One month later, reports suggest the tests have hit desired sales targets, with each of the locations selling 70 burgers per day, according to the analysts.  Favorable forecast Michael Lavery, an analyst with Piper Sandler, believes such positive results may warrant a full nationwide expansion by the end of Q1 next year. Another analyst, Peter Saleh of BTIG, takes a more cautionary but still-optimist outlook, predicting a large regional rollout to 700 restaurants in February or March, followed by a national launch in 2023.   Beyond …

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Plant-based burger Mcplant McDonald's and Beyond Meat burger

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Products & Launches

UK & Ireland: Is the McPlant Available at Your Local McDonald’s? 

After announcing its ambition to become a market leader in the vegan fast-food sector, McDonald’s has rolled out the long-awaited McPlant at 250 locations across the UK and Ireland. “Whether you’re vegan or just fancy a plant-based patty, we’re confident you will enjoy the McPlant” As reported by vegconomist, the vegan McPlant burger uses a plant-based cheese – made in collaboration with Irish food company Kerry, as well as a McDonald’s exclusive Beyond Meat patty. The alt meat giant signed a coveted 3 year deal with McDonald’s earlier this year, making it plant-based supplier of choice with the fast-food icon, as well its primary developer of new plant-based products.  The McPlant is £3.49 on its own or £4.89 as a meal, and will not be …

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Vegedal Big Mac

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Food & Beverage

Vegedal – the French Fast Food Phenomenon That Copies the Big Mac to Perfection

This brand has been attracting attention in recent months thanks to its strong communication and its perfect copies of the great fast-food musts such as the Big Mac, the Filet-o-Fish and French Tacos. Vegconomist France went to meet the Vegedal team to understand this new phenomenon in vegan fast food. A Parisian startup “Vegedal was born on June 12, 2021. There are 2 founders including Samia Benyounes and a friend who prefers to stay in the shadows! We first opened with a physical restaurant and the success was immediate, we had to close after a month because we realised that the premises were too small and not functional enough for our kitchen teams and the public. “We then changed our strategy and created a license …

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