Quick service restaurant chain McDonald’s has quietly introduced the McPlant Burger to menus in Denmark and Sweden.
The McPlant Buger is made from pea and rice protein and topped with cheese lettuce, tomato, onions and pickles, as well as mayo, ketchup and mustard. The burger is cooked on the same grill as the chain’s beef burgers, which could be an issue for those following a vegan diet.
“Our new McPlant platform is all about giving customers more choices when they visit McDonald’s,” Francesca DeBiase, McDonald’s executive vice president and chief supply chain officer said in a statement.
The trial of the meat alternative product began in January. The Sweden test ended March 15, while the Denmark trial will run through April 12. If successful, McDonald’s said it is ready to roll the plant-based burger out to other markets.
The plant-based patty was first announced in the November 2020 investors meeting, following a 2019 test of a plant-based burger called the P.L.T. in Canada. The burger, developed in partnership with meat alternative company Beyond Meat, featured a plant-based patty with no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.
Other quick service brands, including Burger King, Starbucks and White Castle, have already introduced plant-based products to their menus.
Partnership with Beyond Meat
McDonald’s recently announced that the chain had established a three-year global strategic agreement with the meat alternative company, Beyond Meat. As a part of the agreement, Beyond Meat became McDonald’s preferred supplier for the McPlant Burger and the two brands will explore the co-development of other plant-based menu items in the future, including chicken, pork and egg.
“We are proud to enter into this strategic global agreement with McDonald’s, an exciting milestone for Beyond Meat, and look forward to serving McDonald's as they bring expanded choice to menus globally,” says Ethan Brown, Beyond Meat Founder and CEO.
“We will combine the power of Beyond Meat’s rapid and relentless approach to innovation with the strength of McDonald’s global brand to introduce craveable, new plant-based menu items that consumers will love.”
McDonald’s is heavily focused on innovation in 2021. In February, the chain launched its long-awaited lineup of chicken sandwiches.
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