Subway Will Expand Its Plant-Based Menu, According to Leaked Email
The news comes amid the controversy where DNA testing revealed the sandwich chain’s tuna sub contained ‘anything but tuna'.
Credit: Good Catch
Subway came under fire last month after an investigation failed to identify tuna DNA in the chain’s tuna sandwiches. The New York Times obtained “more than 60 inches worth of Subway tuna sandwiches” and sent them to a commercial food testing lab. Results revealed no tuna in the sample. A lab spokesperson told the NYT that “There’s two conclusions. One, it’s so heavily processed that whatever we could pull out, we couldn’t make an identification. “Or we got some and there’s just nothing there that’s tuna.”
Despite the lab results, Subway denied the claims, maintaining the DNA testing is ‘unreliable’. “DNA testing is simply not a reliable way to identify denatured proteins, like Subway’s tuna, which was cooked before it was tested,” the chain said in a statement.
Good Catch Challenges Subway to go Fish-Free
In response to the controversy, vegan seafood brand Good Catch trolled the company by handing out fish-free vegan sandwiches in front of Subway locations. Its food trucks were branded with “OurWay” logos, mimicking the sandwich chain’s “have it your way” slogan, while spotlighting that fish-free tuna is the future of seafood.
“With the Subway news grabbing headlines across the globe, this is the perfect moment to inform people that there is a better way to enjoy the taste and experience of delicious seafood without [harming] our oceans,” said Good Catch co-founder Derek Sarno. “We want to encourage Subway, and other businesses, to add fish-free options for goodness to all.”
The food truck stunt prompted Subway’s lawyers to send Good Catch a letter claiming that the vegan brand was infringing its ‘intellectual property rights’ for using the similar ‘OURWAY’ logo. Subway demanded the company “cease and desist from engaging in any use of OURWAY’, stressing that they “have the right to take action in court” should Good Catch fail to do so.
The letter also commented on the rising consumer demand for more plant-based options:
“Subway is not surprised that your company believes that consumers want environmentally friendly food options,” the letter stated. “Subway is also adding more plant-based options to its menu to meet growing consumer demand for meat-free alternatives.”
Vegan Options at Subway
Currently, U.S. Subway locations offer only one fully vegan pre-made sandwich called the Veggie Delite, which consists of lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, and red onions on 9-grain wheat bread. Subway trialed a plant-based meatball sub at more than 600 locations in the U.S. and Canada in September 2019. The sandwich is now available nationwide in Canada, but so far, there has been no news of the menu item being rolled out across stores in the U.S.
Outside of the U.S., Subway has embraced the growing vegan market with the launch of new plant-based options; in January 2020, the Meatless Meatball Marinara was added to its menus across the United Kingdom, while in Brazil, the franchise introduced the “Sub Veg,” - a new sandwich featuring soy-based protein and creamy, dairy-free cheddar cheese to its chains across last year.
Take Action
It's estimated that nearly a million animals were spared from being killed for meat for human consumption in 2020, thanks to America’s largest food chains embracing plant-based meats. That’s why Species Unite is urging Subway to add a vegan meatball sub to their U.S. nationwide menu. As one of the world’s most iconic franchises, Subway actively embracing plant-based food in the U.S. could be a huge win for animals and the planet.
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