LOUISVILLE, KY. — Kentucky Fried Chicken is expanding its plant-based Beyond Fried Chicken to two new markets.
Select restaurants in Charlotte, N.C., and Nashville, Tenn., will offer the Beyond Meat menu item beginning Feb. 3. The tests will run until the end of the month or supplies run out.
The announcement follows the Yum! Brands subsidiary’s successful one-day test run in Atlanta last summer, which made it the first national quick-service chain to offer plant-based chicken from Beyond Meat.
Restaurants in the expanded test will use a new recipe designed to better mimic the taste and texture of whole muscle chicken.
“Together with KFC’s team, we have created a plant-based chicken that looks, tastes and pulls apart like a chicken breast,” said Ethan Brown, founder and chief executive officer of Beyond Meat. “I am very proud of what our R.&D. teams have accomplished and look forward to continuing to lead the charge on plant-based chicken.”
The news of KFC’s expanded test comes just days after Tim Hortons pulled all remaining Beyond Meat products from locations in Ontario and British Columbia. The coffee and donuts chain, which introduced Beyond Meat breakfast sandwiches and a Beyond Meat burger last summer, cut the plant-based items from all other stores outside of the two provinces in September.
A spokesperson for the Restaurant Brands International subsidiary said meatless options failed to catch on with consumers.
“We introduced a plant-based protein as a limited time offer and to test the interest of our guests in having this alternative available,” the spokespersons said. “Ultimately, our guests choose to stay with the meat option in their breakfast sandwiches. We may offer plant-based alternatives again in the future, but we have removed it from the menu for now.”