As previously reported by WAN, Beyond Meat’s Beyond Beef became a featured item on menus in Starbucks stores throughout China in April.
“This latest introduction across KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell brands is expected to capture valuable consumer feedback across different regions in China. It will enable us to optimize flavors and processes and help assess the potential for larger scale rollouts in the future,” Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China, said in a statement.“This exciting development is the latest iteration of our on-going commitment to introduce new and innovative products to Chinese consumers.”
Yum China to Introduce the Revolutionary Beyond Burger® at Select KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell Restaurants
Launched on June 3rd, KFC is offering the Beyond Burger as a 3-day limited time offer at five locations in Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. The Beyond Burger will provide Chinese consumers an exciting and delicious plant-based twist on the iconic beef burger patty.
Pizza Hut is also launching its first-ever burger offerings by testing the Beyond Burger at six stores in Shanghai from June 8th through the11th.
Meanwhile, Taco Bellwill offer a taco made with the plant-based Beyond Burger patty at three stores in Shanghai from June 3rd through the 10th. The taco combines Taco Bell’s classic taco recipe with a crispy corn taco, including signature Mexican spices such as chipotle and black beans, vegetables, and a unique sauce.
Yum China to Introduce the Revolutionary Beyond Burger® at Select KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell Restaurants
“We are proud to further our partnership with the Yum family of brands by launching Beyond Meat offerings at select KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell locations in mainland China. I’m excited about what this launch means in terms of together being of service to the Chinese consumer as they seek out the nutritional and environmental benefits of our delicious plant-based meats,” said Ethan Brown, Beyond Meat’s Founder and CEO. “More generally, our partnership with Yum China and the iconic brands of KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell is an encouraging and important milestone toward increased accessibility to our plant-based meat globally.”
Prior to partnering with Beyond Meat, KFC and Taco Bell had previously conducted tests of plant-based meat products in China. In April 2020, KFC tested plant-based chicken nuggets at select stores in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen; while in December 2019, Taco Bell tested a plant-based pork taco at select stores in Shanghai.
Yum China’s in-depth market understanding and consumer insights accumulated over the past 30 years offer a strong foundation to establish the concept of plant-based meat in China.
KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell are among the first Western restaurant brands to introduce a plant-based meat product in China, and with this test, they are joining their global counterparts in helping to popularize plant-based meat products.
