It’s rumored that McDonald’s UK is launching a vegan cheeseburger.
Talk of the world’s largest fast-food chain’s potential meatless menu item began on the Instagram account Vegan Food UK. According to a post on Saturday, McDonald’s UK is conducting surveys, one of which presents a vegan cheeseburger featuring a Beyond Meat burger patty.
Vegan Food UK wrote that “nothing is official” at the moment. It added that “we know they have had this in the pipeline for a while” through insider tips.
The fast-food chain confirmed in a statement sent to LIVEKINDLY that the vegan cheeseburger rumor isn’t official: “We are always looking to develop new and exciting products for our customers looking to reduce their meat consumption. We will keep customers informed of any real product news through our website and social media channels.”
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Vegan at McDonald’s
The rumored Beyond Burger wouldn’t be the first vegan option on the McDonald’s UK menu. It launched “Veggie Dippers,” nuggets made with split peas and vegetables, late last year.
Several international McDonald’s also offer plant-based options, including Germany, Norway, Finland, and Sweden. U.S. locations have yet to launch vegan options (and even the fries contain beef fat). But, CEO Chris Kempczinski said in an interview with CNBC earlier this year that he “certainly expects to see plant-based on the McDonald’s menu.”
If the UK rumor is true, it would mark McDonald’s second collaboration with California-based Beyond Meat. In January, McDonald’s Canada teamed up with Beyond Meat to trial a burger, called the “P.L.T.” or “Plant Lettuce Tomato,” at 52 locations. It took the burger off the menu by April, adding that there are “no current plans to bring it back to our menu at this time.”
CEO and founder Ethan Brown expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration with McDonald’s Canada.
“Being of service to McDonald’s has been a central and defining goal of mine since founding Beyond Meat over a decade ago,” he said in a statement. “It comes after a long and productive collaboration to make a delicious plant-based patty that fits seamlessly into McDonald’s menu. We’re thrilled with the outcome.”
In the past few years, Beyond Meat has worked with several major fast food chains, including KFC, Dunkin’, Subway, and El Pollo Loco.
