Yum! China brings Beyond Meat's plant-based burgers to KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell
The country remains one the world’s highest meat consumers.
The plant-based Beyond Burger is now in China, following a partnership between Yum! China and Beyond Meat.
Starting 3 June, KFC will showcase the Beyond Burger as a 3-day limited time offer at five locations in Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Shanghai.
Pizza Hut will launch its first-ever burger offerings by testing a combo set that includes both a Beyond Burger and an Australian sirloin steak burger at six stores in Shanghai from 8 June to 11 June. Pre-sale coupons are required for participating in the test and are available only for the pizza chain’s members starting 1 June.
Taco Bell, meanwhile, is offering a taco made with the Beyond Burger patty at three stores in Shanghai from starting 3 June until 10 June.
"We see great potential for the plant-based meat market in China," oey Wat, CEO of Yum China, said in statement. "This latest introduction across KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell brands is expected to capture valuable consumer feedback across different regions in China. It will enable us to optimize flavors and processes and help assess the potential for larger scale rollouts in the future. This exciting development is the latest iteration of our on-going commitment to introduce new and innovative products to Chinese consumers."
"I'm excited about what this launch means in terms of together being of service to the Chinese consumer as they seek out the nutritional and environmental benefits of our delicious plant-based meats,” added Ethan Brown, Beyond Meat Founder and CEO.
Prior to partnering with Beyond Meat, KFC and Taco Bell had earlier tests of plant-based meat products in China. In April 2020, KFC tested plant-based chicken nuggets at select stores in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, whilst in December 2019, Taco Bell tested a plant-based pork taco at select stores in Shanghai.
