(Updated January 6, 2020)
Taco Bell is set to launch vegan meat made from pulled oats and legumes just in time for Veganuary.
The plant-based meat, called Pulled Oats, is made by Helsinki-based brand Gold&Green Foods. Starting January 7, it will be available on all 53 Taco Bell UK menus.
The new vegan meat features a taste and texture that’s similar to real ground beef. According to Gold&Green, it’s made with “simple and wholesome ingredients.” These include oats, legumes, yellow peas, and seasoning.
From burritos to tacos and quesadillas, the plant-based meat can be used to substitute animal-based meat in any menu item.
Lucy Dee, Taco Bell UK’s marketing lead, said in a statement: “At Taco Bell, we pride ourselves on being a place where every lifestyle can find exactly what they’re craving. So, whether you’re a vegetarian, flexitarian, or just fancy trying something new, we can provide you with flavorsome meat-free offering you’ll love.”
She added: “We can’t wait to launch the new plant-based protein across all of our UK restaurants and offer our customers the choice to go meat-free for January and beyond.”
Gold&Green Foods’ Vegan Meat
Taco Bell UK’s launch of the oat meat follows a successful test run in other countries. The vegan meat was first served at Finland’s first Taco Bell in November 2017.
Taco Bell trialed the oat-based meat in the UK in May 2019 during National Vegetarian Week.
The following July, the pulled oats made their way to Taco Bell Spain. The vegan meat became a permanent addition to the menu and can replace meat in any dish. While Gold&Green Foods’ oat-based protein is meat-free, Taco Bell Spain marinates the plant-based meat in a vegetarian sauce.
Vegan Food at Taco Bell
The oat-based meat isn’t Taco Bell’s first vegan offering.
In December 2019, Taco Bell China launched a limited-edition crunchy taco filled with OmniPork, a Hong Kong-based vegan pork brand. The vegan pork is made from shiitake mushrooms, pea protein, soy protein, and rice protein.
In June 2020, Taco Bell China also announced a new partnership with California-based vegan meat brand Beyond Meat. From June 3-10, Taco Bells in the region launched a taco made with the Beyond Burger patty at three stores in Shanghai.
