Fast food giant McDonald’s has teased a line of meat-free burgers, which could arrive in restaurants as soon as next year.
The McPlant line could offer products such as burgers, chicken substitutes and breakfast sandwiches, with McDonald’s expecting to test in some markets in 2021, reports the Mirror .
Chris Kempczinski, McDonald’s chief executive, said: "Plant-based products are an ongoing consumer trend.
"It's not a matter of if McDonald's will get into plant-based, it's a matter of when."
The push towards plant based products comes after the McDonald’s menu was left without vegan options as issues with Veggie Dippers saw them and the Vegetable Deluxe removed .
Ian Borden, McDonald’s international president, said: “As we have worked to better understand customer demand, some markets around the world have tested plant-based products.
"Informed by those learnings, we have created a delicious burger that will be the first menu option in a plant-based platform we are calling McPlant. McPlant is crafted exclusively for McDonald’s, by McDonald’s."
He added: “In the future, McPlant could extend across a line of plant-based products including burgers, chicken-substitutes and breakfast sandwiches.
"And, we expect some markets will test the burger next year. We are excited about the opportunity because we believe we have a proven, delicious-tasting product. When customers are ready for it, we are ready for them.”
Beyond Meat is the front runner for a contract to make the meat-free patties for McDonald’s, after the company conducted tests of a so-called "P.L.T." burger at nearly 100 of the chain’s locations in Ontario, Canada, earlier this year.
A spokesperson for Beyond Meat said: "Beyond Meat and McDonald's co-created the plant-based patty which will be available as part of their McPlant platform”.
McDonald's declined to say which suppliers it would use in crafting its own line of veggie products.
