User Panel
Posted: 1/4/2022 9:49:13 PM EST
Link
The colonel is turning over in his grave. KFC restaurants nationwide will add Beyond Meat’s plant-based chicken to menus, starting Monday for a limited time. Fast food companies have recently tested or added plant-based items as more customers look to trim meat consumption. KFC and Beyond Meat say they are bullish on the product despite the launch coming amid the surge in the Covid omicron variant. KFC restaurants nationwide will add Beyond Meat’s plant-based chicken to its menus, starting Monday for a limited time. The launch comes after years of testing from the Yum Brands chain and Beyond Meat to create a meat substitute that mimicked the taste and texture of whole muscle chicken, like chicken breast. The two companies first tested plant-based chicken at an Atlanta restaurant in August 2019 — and sold out their limited supply in less than five hours. KFC then tested the new item in Nashville, Charlotte, N.C., and southern California two years ago. The popular fried chicken chain is counting on customers making healthier choices to fulfill typical New Year’s resolutions. “This is really about where the customer is going; they want to eat more plant-based proteins,” said Kevin Hochman, U.S. president of KFC. “It’s January, so it’s a time of New Year’s resolutions and wanting to do something different in your diet.” More Americans are embracing a so-called flexitarian diet in which consumers cut down on their meat consumption for health and environmental reasons. That has driven the growing popularity of plant-based substitutes. “From a supply perspective, we feel really good about it, and it’s something we have experience with in initial trials,” said Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown. Hochman and Brown are so bullish on the product that they’re not deterred by the current nationwide surge in the Covid omicron variant. The partnership hits at the time of national labor, with many eateries running short staffed. To run smoothly even with fewer workers, some chains have been reluctant to add new items or even scaled back their menus. Surges in new Covid-19 cases exacerbate those issues as workers call in sick due to positive tests or exposure to infection. Nearly a year ago, Beyond Meat announced a formal partnership with Yum to make exclusive plant-based substitutes for Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC. Chipotle Mexican Grill rolled out plant-based chorizo Monday at its restaurants nationwide. It also is targeting customers who are trying to eat less meat in 2022. Ramping up for launches In preparing for launches to come in the new year, Beyond Meat poached industry veterans from Tyson Foods for its C-suite in December, adding Doug Ramsey as chief operating officer and Bernie Adcock in a new role of chief supply chain officer. Ramsey spent three decades at Tyson, overseeing its poultry and McDonald’s businesses. Adcock also spent 30 years at Tyson with a focus on operations and supply chain management. “We’re continuing to grow the operations team; they did a lot of work to help the team get ready in these final days,” Brown said, adding the Yum tie-up has been years in the making. “They’ve helped us prepare for this and we brought in, I think, some of the top executives in the industry.” Beyond Meat is looking to get its stock back on track. In the last 12 months, shares have lost half their value, dragging the company’s market value down to $3.9 billion. The stock closed Tuesday down 5% at $61.62 and short sellers betting against the stock represent 37.2% of available shares, according to Factset. On the other hand, shares of Yum have climbed 30% in the last year, bringing its market value to $40.3 billion. Strong demand for KFC’s fried chicken has helped lift the price. The chain’s U.S. same-store sales jumped 13% on a two-year basis during its third quarter. Synergies with retail The partnership does provide an opportunity, however, for “Beyond” restaurant sales. The company is hoping to attract more customers to its grocery store products, which sold briskly early in the pandemic, but then saw declines in subsequent quarters. “It has great synergies with what we are trying to do in retail,” Brown said. To promote the new menu item, YouTube star Liza Koshy will star in the plant-based chicken’s ad campaign, in the latest partnership between fast food chains and influencers. However, KFC will not be targeting vegans and vegetarians directly with its marketing because the Beyond Fried Chicken is made using the same equipment as KFC’s traditional fried chicken. Customers can buy KFC’s Beyond Fried Chicken in six- or 12-piece orders, with dipping sauce included. Prices start at $6.99, excluding tax. |
|
The incoming, structured food shortages will be used as the pretense to implement the genetically engineered proteins that we will be forced to eat.
The bugs are coming too. |
|
Quoted: The incoming, structured food shortages will be used as the pretense to implement the genetically engineered proteins that we will be forced to eat. The bugs are coming too. View Quote This. Grains and bugs for the |
|
|
|
|
|
Quoted: The incoming, structured food shortages will be used as the pretense to implement the genetically engineered proteins that we will be forced to eat. The bugs are coming too. View Quote This. Country living will be the new rich gentry eating steak and organic fruit & vegetables as the poors are forced into the cities to run the gauntlet everyday on public transit while exposed to never ending Covid shots & concentrations of plague to thin their number while eating beyond “meat” & bug slurry while vegging on Meta (matrix) in a public (corporate) one room apartment in their off time |
|
I like how the vegan crowd which is all about eating only natural stuff wants to push meat with dozens of ingredients. LOL.
Pretty sure if I make a steak the ingredients are just steak, salt, and pepper. It will be interesting to see Vinnie Tortoriches Documentary on fake meat. BEYOND IMPOSSIBLE | Official Trailer | Fake Meat Documentary |
|
I guess it probably isnt any worse than regular KFC.
Sounds like they have a problem retaining customers. |
|
|
you have to wonder, what percentage of a McNugget is actually chicken anyway?
|
|
You guys are some crotchety fucks. Damn…….try something new. If you don’t like it……..don’t buy it again.
|
|
Quoted: The colonel is turning over in his grave. View Quote |
|
If it is plant based it is not chicken.
They need to be required to call it what it is: carcinogenic chemical bound plant matter. |
|
|
|
|
|
I should sue them for frying it in the same oil as the real chicken.
|
|
For people who don't like modified food, they sure do love making "meat" out of soybeans.
|
|
Quoted: You guys are some crotchety fucks. Damn…….try something new. If you don’t like it……..don’t buy it again. View Quote Attached File |
|
|
|
|
Quoted: For people who don't like modified food, they sure do love making "meat" out of soybeans. View Quote |
|
how do we know these companies aren't compounding their laboratory goulash into our meat already?
I personally know of no one wanting more plant based meat....what am I saying.. Meat is meat.... plant based is not meat. |
|
I use plant based protein powder. Is this going to be vanilla flavored as well.
I'm still not eating that stuff, fast food is just junk food. Full of crap only a retard would consume. |
|
It will not get enough revenue because no one is buying this shit. They will go broke
|
|
|
Quoted: how do we know these companies aren't compounding their laboratory goulash into our meat already? I personally know of no one wanting more plant based meat....what am I saying.. Meat is meat.... plant based is not meat. View Quote |
|
|
|
|
Only on arfcom does plant-based chicken turn into the fucking apocalypse
LOL |
|
|
Quoted: I like how the vegan crowd which is all about eating only natural stuff wants to push meat with dozens of ingredients. LOL. Pretty sure if I make a steak the ingredients are just steak, salt, and pepper. It will be interesting to see Vinnie Tortoriches Documentary on fake meat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0Qn85negfc View Quote Lol who watches this shit. |
|
|
|
Plant based meat is as bad as calling nut juice milk. Stop making up stuff.
|
|
|
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.