A plant-based version of The Original Orange Chicken sold out in less than two weeks during a Panda Express test of the limited time offer menu item in southern California.
"We are thrilled with the positive guest response around Beyond The Original Orange Chicken and are humbled to share that our SoCal restaurants sold out in less than just two weeks," a Panda Express spokesperson said in a statement.
"The excitement from our guests is unparalleled, and it's one of our most successful regional launches to date at Panda.”
In addition, more than 1,300 pounds of the dish were sold on July 26, the first day Beyond The Original Orange Chicken launched, the company announced. The meat alternative was sold at select locations in New York City and Southern California for a limited time.
The Original Orange Chicken – responsible for roughly one-third of the company’s sales – features crisp pieces of fried chicken covered in a sweet and tangy sauce that has just a touch of heat. The plant-based version, developed with Beyond Meat, closely mimics the original in size, shape, texture and flavor and is covered with a vegan sauce the Asian quick service chain says tastes just like the original.
Panda Express is reportedly exploring a national rollout of the plant-based chicken menu item.
Plant-based proteins went mainstream in 2019, however most meat alternatives available on the market are designed to taste like beef or pork. This is because it is much more difficult to mimic the taste and texture of poultry.
The plant-based foods market is set to make up 7.7% of the global protein market by 2030, with a value of $162 billion, according to a recent report from Bloomberg Intelligence. Plant-based chicken alternatives are especially primed for significant growth in the next 12-18 months, with innovation toward products that more closely resemble whole cuts expected.
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