The One Show, a popular British live magazine program aimed at a mainstream audience, gave chef Nisha Katona the opportunity to taste the new KFC vegan burger. KFC has stated that it is creating a new product in its Innovations Kitchen, and it is likely to be plant-based and vegan friendly.
Innovation Director Jack Hinchcliffe told the Telegraph this March that veganism as a trend has really blown up, and that they did not want to let vegans down. He stated in the interview that, a plant-based KFC product would have to be “really credible, authentic and genuine, a bean patty would not cut the mustard as that lets down vegans.” He went to say: “For us it’s about taking the amazing tastes of KFC and offering those in a vegetarian or vegan alternative.”
The release of this exclusive on The One Show clearly shows how mainstream vegan options have become. A few years ago, the topic would have been too niche for the BBC, and definitely for KFC to have taken seriously. Vegan fast food is exploding around the globe with pizza hut, McDonalds and Burger King all successfully launching plant-based options
Chef Katona appears regularly on the BBC in her capacity as Mowgli Street Food founder, food writer, and a television presenter. Ms Katona posted on Twitter: “Oh my heaven! On a dream job today- filming for the BBC One Show with exclusive access to the actual KFC headquarters development kitchen. Also, I was the first member of the public to taste the new vegan chicken burger. This to me is actually living the dream.”
Responding to the comments on Twitter, Ms Katona described the burger as a ‘brilliant product’, adding: ‘[KFC] are still working on it but a truly great start.”
Vegconomist has contacted KFC to comment.
