Double McPlant

© McDonald's UK&I

Fast Food

McDonald’s UK & Ireland Launches Double McPlant for Veganuary

From January 4, McDonald’s fans in the UK and Ireland will be able to enjoy the Double McPlant, containing two Beyond Meat patties instead of one. The patties will be served on a sesame seed bun with mustard, ketchup, sandwich sauce, fresh onion, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and vegan cheese. The new burger is vegan-certified and will be cooked separately from all non-vegan menu items. The launch follows the success of the original McPlant, which arrived in the UK in September 2021 and rolled out in Ireland in early 2022. Since then, fans have been taking to social media to demand a Double McPlant. “I have said on many occasions that the McPlant has changed my life, but if there were to be a double McPlant? …

more

Plant-based burger McPlant

©McDonald's

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 …

more

McPlant Portugal

© McDonald's

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 …

more

McPlant plant-based burger

© McDonald's

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 …

more

PETA McPlant Giveaway

©PETA

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, …

more

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 …

more

Plant-based burger McPlant

©McDonald's

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 …

more

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

© McDonald's

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 …

more

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

© McDonald's

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 …

more

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

© McDonald's

Market & Trends

McDonald’s UK Reveals Plan to Become Vegan Plant-Based Food and Drink Leader

Following the September launch of its long-awaited McPlant burger in the UK, fast-food giant McDonald’s has declared its ambition to offer customers market-leading vegan plant-based food and drink. McDonald’s UK & Ireland will aim to achieve net-zero emissions for all its restaurants and offices by 2030, with plant-based offerings at the center of its new climate strategy.  As part of its new “Plan for Change” – a business and sustainability strategy to help it achieve its net-zero emissions goals – McDonald’s has also set a target to ensure customer packaging is made from renewable, recycled, or certified sources and designed to be recyclable or compostable, by 2024. Earlier this year, McDonald’s announced a three-year worldwide strategic agreement with alt protein giant Beyond Meat to be the …

more

Beyond Meat McDonalds

© Beyond Meat

Products & Launches

McDonald’s Launches McPlant Across Austria, Forgets to Make it Vegan

McDonald’s Austria is now serving its McPlant burger with a vegan patty throughout the country. Aimed at flexitarians rather than vegans, the McPlant in Austria is served with dairy cheese and egg-based mayonnaise and cooked on the same grill as meat.  Having already been tested sporadically in Canada, Sweden, and Denmark – with much positive feedback – the McPlant will be available at all McDonald’s locations in Austria while stocks last. The burger features a Beyond Meat patty that McDonald’s stresses is unique to its menus and differs from the famous Beyond Burger available in other outlets.  As its biggest global rival Burger King leads the way in plant-based fast-food innovation, McDonald’s is at risk of falling behind the competition. The global chain is currently …

more

McDonald's McPlant plant-based burger

©McDonald's

Gastronomy & Food Service

“Game-Changing Moment” as McDonalds Quietly Adds McPlant in Sweden and Denmark

In what the GFI has referred to as a “game-changing moment”, McDonald’s has quietly rolled out its plant-based burger in Sweden and Denmark in a trial which is set to run to the 15th March in Sweden and 12th April in Denmark. A McDonald’s spokesperson has stated that there will be further plant-based products including burgers, chicken substitutes, and breakfast sandwiches. The addition of the McPlant is part of a new growth strategy called “Accelerating the Arches”, and will see the plant-based burger rolled out into “other markets” in the near future. It is not confirmed present who is producing the patties but some platforms are stating that they are being produced by Beyond Meat, as per previous, though later conflicted, reports. “McPlant is crafted …

more