EL SEGUNDO, California (AP) – Vegetable food company Beyond Meat will partner with several major fast food chains in the coming years to expand offerings that could eventually include vegetable burgers, barges or toppings on a stuffed crust the pizza.
Beyond Meat on Thursday announced distribution agreements with McDonald’s, as well as with Yum Brands, the parent company of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.
The company, based in El Segundo, California, said it will develop herbal products for all restaurants, with exclusive menu items for each brand.
Beyond Meat has had limited partnerships with McDonald’s and Yum Brands before, testing its products in limited geographic areas or with just one or two items. Companies are now expanding these links.
McDonald’s in Chicago will use the Beyond Meat partnership to launch what it calls the “McPlant” burger, as well as eventually herbal pork, eggs and chicken products.
Yum will use Beyond Meat to expand its “Beyond Fried Chicken” products, as well as pizza toppings at Pizza Hut. Yum, based in Louisville, Kentucky, has not set specific menu options for Taco Bell.
Herbal foods, designed to mimic meat, have grown in popularity in recent years and more large restaurant chains are now experimenting with food science to make products healthier and greener for customers. Burger King has partnered with Impossible Foods to provide products that also use herbal products.