3Mins Read Berlin’s Veganz has signed a long-term cooperative agreement with food service provider Aramark. The partnership will see Veganz vegan products used across the whole Aramark business model. Increased vegan options throughout sports, events, and corporate sectors are being targeted by the move. Neu-Isenburg-headquartered Aramark has committed to a sustainability strategy that includes increasing its vegan […]
4Mins Read Basic meat replacements, such as burgers, have become widely available. Now, attention is being turned to vegan seafood alternatives, a shift motivated by a global drive to reduce commercial fishing. The global alternative seafood sector grew by 23 percent in 2020. It is predicted to reach $1.3 billion in the next 10 years. Restaurants and […]
3Mins Read One-third of UK consumers are open to trying cultivated meat, and 60 percent said they would try plant-based protein, according to new Food Standards Agency (FSA) data. The new study surveyed nearly 2,000 adults ages 16-75 about their willingness to consume plant-based proteins and cultivated meat, with plant-based meat showing strong potential for mainstream acceptance. Survey findings […]
3Mins Read Two chicken-focussed fast-food chains in Canada have taken the plunge to expand vegan options in their restaurants. KFC and Mary Brown’s have both announced a partnership with animal-free meat producer Lightlife. KFC Canada will release a meatless popcorn chicken dish for a limited time. The move marks the second time the company has worked with […]
3Mins Read Denmark’s Danish Crown is finally entering the plant-based scene. Its new brand, Den Grønne Slagter, translates as ‘The Green Butcher’. It will be available throughout Denmark and sold in popular retail stores. Eight products are being launched initially. The new plant-based range will be launched with a selection of ready meals and base components. All […]
3Mins Read Anglo-Dutch blue chip food and household company Unilever has been investigating plant-based foods. Across 141 studies, conducted between 2000 and 2020, the company has pulled together a review of key data. The chief takeaway is that plant-based food, and a transition towards it, should be a global priority. The diet has been shown to increase […]
3Mins Read Indian delivery giant Swiggy has announced a partnership with plant-based meat manufacturer GoodDot. The two have joined forces to make animal-free foods easier to source. As the largest ordering and delivery platform in India, Swiggy embracing meat-free options represents significant industry growth. GoodDot will be available via Swiggy’s Instamart. An online essentials ordering platform, deliveries […]
Following its successful launch in the U.K. last year, McDonald’s is now offering consumers a Double McPlant across all U.K. and Ireland locations.
“You asked. We listened,” reads a post on the McDonald’s website. The fast-food chain says it’s making the popular vegan burger “twice as nice” by featuring two Beyond Meat patties instead of one. The new sandwiches will be available beginning January 4th, just in time for the popular month-long vegan campaign, Veganuary.
The Double McPlant
The new burger option joins the original McPlant and Veggie Dippers as the only other Vegetarian Society-approved vegan options on the U.K. menu.
McDonald’s credits its customers for continuing to pressure the chain to add the new menu item.
McDonald’s has added a Double McPlant in the U.K.
One customer Tweeted: “I know it’s 7am but when are @McDonaldsUK going to allow a Double McPlant?? All I want is the option to have two patties. this is the important stuff I need addressed.” (@hollzap)
Another fan Tweeted: “I have said on many occasions that the McPlant has changed my life, but if there were to be a double McPlant? I can only imagine”. (@Psijguy)
Just like the original McPlant, the Double McPlant is vegan-certified and cooked separately from other McDonald’s burgers and sandwiches using dedicated utensils.
The McPlant
The initial U.K. rollout saw 250 locations nationwide offer the McPlant burger. But continued demand led the chain to make the burger available nationwide last January.
“We’re so pleased that our McPlant is now officially ‘everywhere’ and available for more of our customers to taste and enjoy,” Michelle Graham-Clare, chief marketing officer at McDonald’s U.K. and Ireland said in a statement last year. “We saw a remarkable response to the trial period back in October. And, now McPlant is on the high-street, in retail parks and service stations all over the U.K. and Ireland.”
Image courtesy of Mcdonald’s.
The McPlant burger was developed to taste like traditional McDonald’s burgers including the iconic sesame seed bun and vegan cheese.
The permanent inclusion and expansion of the McPlant is part of McDonald’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
While the double burger is currently only being offered in the U.K. and Ireland, the original McPlant is still widely available across Europe in locations throughout Sweden, Denmark, and Portugal, as well as in Australia, among other markets.
But despite its success across the pond, the McPlant struggled in the U.S., with sales failing to meet expectations following a 600-store trial run that ended earlier this year.
3Mins Read With Veganuary in full swing, Burger King becomes the latest food giant to announce a new plant-based menu addition. Vegan chicken nuggets, developed by The Vegetarian Butcher, are available now. The crispy nuggets come served with sweet chili dipping sauces. Customers can choose from a six, nine, or 20-piece box. Unilever-owned Dutch brand The Vegetarian […]
4Mins Read A number of recent developments have propelled South Korea onto the global alt protein stage. Both food tech and manufacturing sectors have announced victories and new launches. Now, the country is signposted as an industry player to watch. The Korea International Trade Association predicts that plant-based meat will be more in demand than animal meat […]
3Mins Read As investors pour money into animal-free dairy, Israeli food tech startup Remilk has announced completion of its latest fundraising effort, a Series B round that saw $120 million raised. Hanaco Ventures led the round with Rage Capital, CPT Capital, and Just all joining. Previous investors including Tnuva and Hochland participated again. Remilk has now been […]
3Mins Read Alternative protein developer SavorEat has added a robot chef to its team. The Israeli company will use the technology to manufacture custom meat alternatives. Part of a partnership with domestic hamburger chain BBB, the ‘chef’ will create purposefully made food items. Each will be designed according to customer nutrition specifications and 3D printed. They will […]
4Mins Read Amsterdam’s Mr. & Mrs. Watson has announced the closure of a successful seed funding round. €700,000 was raised to support new product development, international brand marketing and facility improvements. The company is known for its fermented cashew-based cheeses and Amsterdam-based restaurant. Mr. & Mrs. Watson say scaling its production facilities will be a primary focus, […]
After popular U.S.-based cream cheese brand Philadelphia launched its first dairy-free offering in Tesco stores across the U.K. in January, the vegan cream cheese is now available in the U.S.
According to Robert Scott, president of R&D at Kraft Heinz, it took the company about two years to come up with the recipe for the plant-based Philly.
“Getting dairy notes in a plant base is hard,” Scott said noting the product isn’t a taste match to the dairy-based option. The company also gave the cream cheese butter notes. “To get to butter … that’s a huge success metric,” he said.
Kraft, like other multinational food giants, is aiming for the flexitarian shopper. “There’s a big opportunity” for Kraft, said Scott.
Courtesy Philadelphia
The initial launch came in January following a late holiday season effort by the brand to convince its customers not to make cheesecakes in the wake of a cream cheese shortage.
“With over half a million people taking part in this year’s Veganuary, the appetite for plant-based alternatives has never been more apparent,” Louise Stigant, UK managing director of Philadelphia’s parent company, Mondelēz International, said in a statement.
“We’ve worked hard to make sure new Philadelphia Plant Based really delivers the same great taste and creaminess that people love and expect from Philadelphia and we’re delighted that there’s now a Philadelphia product for everyone – not a bagel or slice of toasted sourdough ever needs to go without again!”
Two years in development
The dairy-free offering, which was two years in the making, is made from a blend of coconut oil and faba beans. The initial product launched in the U.K. was made from almonds and oats.
While Philadelphia is a staple on U.S. shelves, the brand said it chose the U.K. for the launch because of its strong interest in a plant-based diet. According to Mondelēz, one in five U.K. shoppers are interested in or already following a plant-based diet. And they want suitable replacements for their favorite meat and dairy products.
“Given the increasing relevance for shoppers with huge growth in plant-based lifestyles, we believe our new plant-based recipe is a step forward in the market to drive awareness of cheese alternatives, which excel on taste and quality,” brand manager Abi Eayrs said.
But now it’s gearing up for success in the U.S. market. Dairy alternatives continue to see sales climb across the plant-based sector even as sales for vegan meat dropped nine percent in the last year. Sales for dairy alternatives were up 1.4 percent.
Philadelphia’s plant-based cream cheese is now available at grocery stores in Atlanta, Houston, Miami, and other locations in the Southeast, and is expected to roll out to more stores by summer.
3Mins Read ITC, one of India’s largest conglomerates, has announced it is to enter the plant-based meat sector. The FMCG giant is a domestic favourite, producing products that are bought by Indian households the world over. Due to its size, ITC moving into the meat-free sector is likely to impact the export market positively. Owner of the […]
3Mins Read The vegan news never stops! Each week, the Green Queen team dives into the latest developments for plant-based foods around the world so you can catch up on what’s happening across the industry, from new products to special collabs and more. This week, online marketplace Vejii closed on its acquisition of plant-based wholesale platform VEDGEco […]
3Mins Read Starbucks Hong Kong and OmniFoods have teamed up to create a festive menu item. The Omni Golden Fillet Ciabatta will be the fourth collaboration between the two food industry giants. Powered by the OmniSeafood Golden Fillet, the sandwich comes after the success of the Thai Style Crab Cake salad in November 2021. Starbucks has used […]
2Mins Read Popular U.S. fried chicken chain KFC is launching vegan chicken in all U.S. locations beginning January 10th, for a limited time. The announcement overlaps with the popular month-long Veganuary campaign. KFC operates nearly 4,000 locations across the U.S. In an extended partnership with Beyond Meat, which produced KFC’s first vegan U.S. offering in 2019, the […]
3Mins Read Buenos Aires’ food tech startup Kernel Mycofoods has announced its 2022 roadmap following a successful funding round. Led by Union Group Ventures, the round brings $15 million into the company. Capital will be used to ramp up production and delivery of its fungi protein food solutions. Strategic partnerships are being actively sought alongside. Kernel uses […]
3Mins Read South Korean startup DaNAgreen has bagged ₩8 billion (approx. US$6.7 million). The R&D company announced the news at the end of 2021. Lotte Ventures, Timewise Investment and Pathfinder H all participated in the Series A investment round. Closure brings total funding to ₩10 billion within four years. The Series A money will be used to […]
3Mins Read Unilever-owned brand The Vegetarian Butcher is now available for consumer purchase in Singapore. It will be stocked by the FairPrice Group, Cold Storage Singapore, and RedMart, and online on Amazon. The Vegetarian Butcher’s Singapore launch features four products: Mince Charming, Chickened-Out Chunks, Little Peckers, and Big Winners. The personality-infused product names refer to beef-style mince, […]
3Mins Read Seoul food tech Yangyoo has revealed that it is breaking into the U.S. alternative dairy sector. Armoured Fresh is a new subsidiary brand for the company. It will be used to introduce South Korean-developed vegan dairy products to U.S. consumers, as part of the growing alternative protein market. Yangyoo’s Armoured Fresh began its portfolio with […]
3Mins Read Chilean unicorn NotCo has announced a host of 2022 plans. Advancing into new territory markets and making waves within the alternative seafood market are primary objectives. An IPO is being floated but is yet to be confirmed. New developments will follow an exciting close to 2021. Chile’s NotCo recently unveiled NotChicken, created using the company’s […]
3Mins Read Starbucks U.K. says it will remove all surcharges for dairy-free milk. The initiative will be rolled out in all 1,020 stores from January 5. The announcement comes shortly after a spoof press release spearheaded by the nonprofit Switch4Good was distributed, pledging to drop the surcharge. Starbucks denied it was making any such move at the […]
3Mins Read French cheese giant Bel Group has launched a vegan Babybel. The dairy-free snack cheese has been touted for a few months, and the launch coincides with Veganuary. U.K. consumers are the first in the world to have access to the product. U.S. consumers will be forced to wait for an overseas launch, but one is […]
3Mins Read Co-founded by chef/restauranteur Margaux Riccio and ex-Chipotle executive Tim Wildin, Vertage is the latest vegan cheese brand to debut in the US market. The dairy-free range has launched across select foodservice channels in Washington DC. According to the founders, retail expansion is also on the cards. Vertage cheeses, which include mozzarella and cheddar, are described […]
8Mins Read From nuggets to sandwiches to vegan chicken restaurants, a plant-based chicken revolution is coming, and it could have big implications for our complicated protein industry. Chicken is now a top priority for vegan meat producers. And it all started in the most unlikely, but most fitting, of places: KFC. In 2019, fast-food chicken giant KFC […]
3Mins Read Algae2Fish, a spin-off from the university’s Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences is taking aim at the cultivated fish market. Funding from the Good Food Institute is being used to support the project. The Portuguese team aims to produce a cultivated seabass fillet with all the nutritional benefits of conventional alternatives. Zero bones and no negative […]
3Mins Read Chile’s NotCo claims that Giuseppe, its patented AI technology platform, has perfectly mimicked the taste of real chicken in a vegan format. The pea protein-based development will be used to create a range of products. NotChickenNuggets, NotChickenBurger, NotChickenBurgerCrispy, and NotChickenFillet lines have been confirmed. Initial chicken launches will take place in Chile, Argentina, and Brazil. […]
3Mins Read British plant-based stalwart Quorn has announced five new releases in time for Veganuary. Each uses the company’s signature mycoprotein meat alternative. The new items are focussed around chicken-style alternatives, with a variety of flavour profiles. The confirmed Quorn releases are Southern Fried Wings, Garlic and Herb Bites, Jerk mini Fillets, Creamy Korma Bites and Sweet […]
