October 18, 2021: -McDonald’s will test the plant-based McPlant burger created in partnership with Beyond Meat in eight U.S. restaurants in the previous month.
In Mcdonalds, the trial is the latest step cautious march to add plant-based meat to its menu. The company has given its time to learn about the longevity of meat substitutes and consumer demand, even as other fast-food chains raced to add trendy items to their menus. For example, rival Burger King, which Restaurant Brands International owns, added the Impossible Whopper to its menu more than two years ago.
Starting November 3, McDonald’s customers in Irving, Texas; Carrollton, Texas; Cedar Falls, Iowa; Jennings, Louisiana; Lake Charles, Louisiana; El Segundo, California; and Manhattan Beach, California, ordering the McPlant for a limited time. According to Mcdonalds, the meat-free patty’s ingredients including peas, rice, and potatoes, and the McPlant burger will consist of mayonnaise and a slice of American cheese. They will be cooking on the same grills as its beef patties.
The company said the limited test is supposed to help the chain understand the impact of introducing a plant-based burger on its operations. New menu items add complexity to kitchens, and a nationwide labor crunch has compounded the issue.
McDonald’s global footprint represents a huge opportunity for Beyond Meat as the preferred supplier of its plant-based patties. In February, the two companies announced a three-year partnership.
The fast-food giant has already begun selling McPlant burgers in some international markets, which include Sweden, Denmark, Austria, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Before the official announcement of the McPlant line, McDonald’s is testing a meatless burger that used a Beyond patty in few dozen Canadian restaurants in September 2019. By the following April, the chain had ended the pilot and has since said that it has no plans to bring back its P.L.T. burger.
A growing number of consumers eat meat substitutes from Beyond or Impossible Foods, citing the health or environmental benefits of opting out of traditional meat. For restaurants, adding plant-based beef to the menu can draw in new consumers and help them reach their sustainability goals. One downside for plant-based meat, although, is the higher cost for both restaurants and consumers. The cost of the McPlant burger will be on par with McDonald’s burgers in the U.S. test.
Shares of McDonald’s have increased 13% this year, which gives it a market value of $187.06 billion. Beyond’s stock has fallen 16% in the same period, dragging its market value down to $6.64 billion.
