Image: McPlant plant-based burger. Source: McDonald's

McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE: MCD ) will soon launch a small-scale rollout in the US of a new plant-based burger developed with faux-meat maker Beyond Meat Inc (Nasdaq: BYND ).

Starting Nov. 3, the "McPlant" will be on the menu at eight locations in Texas, Louisiana, Iowa and California as part of a trial run to help gauge customer interest in the meatless offering, McDonald’s announced Thursday.

The limited run will also help the chain better understand the impact of introducing a plant-based item into its kitchen operations, the company said.

McDonald’s did not share any details on when the McPlant would be available nationwide.

The burger — which consists of a patty made from vegetables including peas, rice and potatoes and is served on a bun with a slice of American cheese and traditional condiments — is already receiving an "encouraging response" in some international markets, including Sweden, Denmark, Austria, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

CNBC noted that McDonald’s vast global footprint of nearly 40,000 locations is a massive opportunity for Beyond, which entered into a three-year partnership with the fast-food powerhouse in February to develop plant-based menu items. 

Over the last two years, several chains, including White Castle, Dunkin’ and Carl’s Jr., have raced to add meatless items to menus as customers have become more interested in vegetarian and vegan diets.

In 2019, Restaurant Brands International’s Burger King released a plant-based Whopper, along with new breakfast sandwiches, made with a patty created by Impossible Foods.

Burger King announced last week that it will begin testing meatless nuggets at several locations in the US.  

The approach by McDonald’s has been more cautious in comparison, as the company has taken more time to learn more about meat substitutes and consumer demand in the US. 

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Source: Equities News

Mentioned in this Article
Beyond Meat Inc
McDonald`s Corp