Burger King now offers soy-based chicken nuggets coated in a crispy batter at U.K. restaurant locations. The nuggets are certified as vegan by the Vegan Society.
“Adapting to customer preferences is a key focus at Burger King,” Alasdair Murdoch, chief executive of Burger King U.K., said in a statement. “We are committed to helping our guests make good decisions about what they eat and drink and providing them with informed choices.”
The plant-based nuggets are available in six-piece, nine-piece or 20-piece boxes alongside a sweet chili dipping sauce.
Almost 40% of respondents to a 2021 survey conducted in more than 10 European countries said they intended to eat less meat in the near future.
The vegan chicken nuggets join two other plant-based items that were also developed by Dutch brand The Vegetarian Butcher, the Rebel Whopper burger and the Vegan Royale chicken-style sandwich on the Burger King U.K. menus. The quick service restaurant chain recently pledged to make menus 50% meat-free by the year 2030, which Burger King U.K. claims will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 41%.
“We’re pleased to announce the launch of Burger King U.K.’s new vegan nuggets across our menus nationwide – an important next step in achieving our target of a 50% meat-free menu by 2030,” Murdoch stated.
“The launch is another positive step in reducing our carbon footprint and driving innovation in our menus in response to the growing demand for meatless alternatives and products with no animal protein in the U.K.”
Plant-based chicken moves into foodservice
The announcement follows the release of Beyond Fried Chicken at KFCs across the U.S.
Beyond Fried Chicken “looks and tastes like KFC's world-famous fried chicken, but with the attributes of plant-based meat,” according to the quick service brand. In conjunction with Beyond Meat, KFC tweaked the soy-based recipe to mimic the taste and texture of real chicken more accurately, which will be sold battered and fried. However, because Beyond Fried Chicken is cooked in the same fryer as the chain’s meat products, they are not classified as vegan or vegetarian.
The plant-based chicken will be sold in a variety of six to 12-piece a la carte and combo options with a choice of dipping sauce options. Prices range from $6.99 and may vary by location.
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, according to a recent report from Bloomberg Intelligence
