KFC Launches Vegan Fried Chicken In California
The Beyond Fried Chicken has been added to 50 trial locations across California as the famous chicken brand continues to invest in plant-based food.
Credit: Beyond Meat
KFC, one of the world’s most famous meat brands, is signalling the move towards a plant-based future with the launch of vegan fried chicken.
The Beyond Fried Chicken, an incredibly realistic alternative to chicken that tastes just like meat but is made from plant protein, is now being trialled across 50 locations in California. Stores in San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles are among those offering a six or 12-piece nuggets combo, complete with dipping sauce.
“I’ve said it before: despite many imitations, the flavor of Kentucky Fried Chicken is one that has never been replicated, until Beyond Fried Chicken,” Andrea Zahumensky, chief marketing officer at KFC, said in a statement. “We know the east coast loved it, so we thought we’d give those on the west coast a chance to tell us what they think in an exclusive sneak peek.”
The success of Beyond Fried Chicken is good news for animals: around 1 billion chickens are killed every year by KFC alone.
The fast-food giant has already collaborated with the vegan Beyond Meat brand, with a one-day event last year hosting a trial of Beyond Fried Chicken in an Atlanta store. With customers forming huge queues around the block, the store completely sold out of vegan chicken in less than five hours.
KFC has already rolled out vegan versions of their signature chicken dishes around the world, with plant-based chicken burgers already a permanent fixture in the likes of the UK. The popular products are part of a growing trend where the world’s leading meat brands are racing to invest in plant-based alternatives. Just last month, the world’s largest meat company, JBS, launched their first-ever vegan meat range for sale in supermarkets.
Industry experts are reporting that plant-based protein is “reshaping of the US meat market”.
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The footage was reportedly recorded at Marshall BioResources in North Rose, New York, where up to 22,000 dogs - mostly beagles - are being bred for animal experimentation.