Beyond Meat has struck a global strategic partnership with Yum! Brands to co-create plant-based protein menu items that can only be found at KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell over the next several years.
The strategic partnership will be an expansion of the companies’ growing track record of collaborations to offer delicious and sustainable plant-based products.
KFC was the first national US quick-service restaurant to introduce plant-based chicken when it tested Beyond Fried Chicken at an Atlanta-area restaurant in 2019.
Since the initial rollout, KFC has expanded testing of Beyond Fried Chicken in other US cities.
In 2020, Pizza Hut US launched the Beyond Italian Sausage Pizza and the Great Beyond Pizza nationwide, becoming the first national pizza chain to introduce a plant-based meat pizza coast-to-coast.
Through this collaboration, Yum! Brands will build on its tradition of food innovation and creating new consumer markets for industry-defining items and increase the number of plant-based options that appeal to flexitarians, those looking to incorporate plant-based meat or more diverse protein options into their diets.
“Today’s announcement builds on our strong relationship with Beyond Meat and, given the consumer response during recent tests with Beyond Meat, we’re excited about the long-term potential plant-based protein menu items have to attract more customers to our brands, especially younger consumers,” said Chris Turner, Yum! Brands CFO.
“We expect this Beyond Meat partnership to strengthen our brands’ capability to offer delicious, plant-based menu items that are driven by consumer demand for more diverse protein options and our brands’ strategies in local markets.”
