January 10, 2022
First, there was Beyond Meat. Next up? Beyond Fried Chicken.
KFC announced Wednesday that it would begin offering a plant-based chicken in some of its meals on Jan. 10, from the same company known for its meat-free burgers, Beyond Meat.
Beyond Fried Chicken was developed by Beyond Meat exclusively for KFC, according to a news release from KFC. It was initially offered in 2019 at one Atlanta restaurant before expanding to three states and now to 4,000 restaurants around the country.
Customers can get their plant-based chicken as part of a combo meal or a la carte in six- or 12-piece orders.
“The mission from day one was simple — make the world-famous Kentucky Fried Chicken from plants,” Kevin Hochman, president of KFC U.S., said in the release. “And now over two years later we can say, ‘Mission accomplished.'”
Yum Brands owns both KFC and Taco Bell, which is also working with Beyond Meat to create some products for those eateries. Beyond Meat recently hired two former executives from Tyson Foods, a company known for its chicken.
It was reported that there has been an increased demand for plant-derived foods, with major chains including McDonald’s and Starbucks partnering with Beyond Meat and competitor Impossible Foods to offer additional options. On Monday, Chipotle began offering plant-based chorizo for a limited time.