Beyond Meat takes big steps in fast food chain

Beyond Meat is taking strong steps in the fast food chain in the first months of the year. The producer of plant-based alternatives to meat announced this week that it has reached a three-year agreement with fast food chain McDonalds. The company also announced that it is partnering with Yum! brands, including KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. It therefore remains one step ahead of rival Impossible Foods.

Beyond Meat has announced a three-year supply agreement with fast food giant McDonalds for the so-called 'McPlant burger'. This makes Beyond Meat a 'preferred supplier' to the largest restaurant chain in the world. That is not the only mega step in the fast food chain. The producer of vegetable variants for meat also reports that it has entered into a multi-year partnership with Yum! Brands, including KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, for the production of plant-based products.

With this, the company takes a big step forward compared to rival Impossible Foods. The deal with McDonalds is particularly popular in the plant-based sector. Although it should be noted that the large fast food chains often work with multiple suppliers. Impossible Foods therefore still stands a chance of collaborating with, for example, McDonalds, albeit to a lesser extent than the 'preferred supplier'. Beyond Meat also supplies Starbucks, Denny's and Dunkin' Brands.

Europe gets first 'McPlant'
McDonald's is testing the new plant-based burger in select locations around the world, starting in the European Union. This is not surprising, given that About a year ago, Beyond Meat opened the first production facility in Europe, in collaboration with the Dutch meat company Zanderbergen. Its co-packing site is located in Zoeterwoude (South Holland). Last year, the company also acquired a facility in Enschede that enables end-to-end production capabilities in Europe.

The McPlant burger is the first product in the plant-based range, but producer Beyond Meat has announced that it will eventually develop other plant-based menu items together with McDonalds. This includes vegetable options for chicken, pork and egg.

Kimberly Baker

Kimberly Bakker is an all-round editor at Boerenbusiness. She also has an eye for the social media channels of Boerenbusiness.

k.baker @boerenbusiness. Nl

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