KFC started the year by leaving many of us speechless. The legendary fried chicken company KFC has launched last Monday, January 10th, its Beyond Fried Chicken nuggets, a version of its star product that, strangely enough, does not have chicken. Created with Beyond Meat, these nuggets are plant-based and promise to be a hit with customers The bet comes after the company discovered in 2019 that the population demanded such a product. In Atlanta, KFC ran a test and put large quantities of meatless nuggets on sale: they sold out in five hours. After this initial experiment, KFC tested the fake chicken product in early 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Months later, the plant-based nuggets began selling in Southern California as well, where they sold out within a week. KFC, which is in the midst of a creative and media overhaul, has made this move in the midst of the ongoing faux poultry war, offering a meatless alternative. Although it has built its entire brand on its own fried chicken recipe, KFC was one of the first fast-food brands to offer a poultry substitute in the US.
The 'Beyond Fried Chicken' chicken was developed by Beyond Meat and will be offered as a combo meal or a la carte in six- or 12-piece orders and the plant-based chicken "will be prepared vegan/vegetarian," according to the statement shared by the company. KFC first tested Beyond Meat's imitation chicken nuggets at an Atlanta restaurant in 2019, then expanded its test to include three other states last year. "The mission from day one was simple: make world-famous Kentucky Fried Chicken from plants," said Kevin Hochman, president of KFC USA. "And now, more than two years later, we can say, 'mission accomplished.'" Due to the growing concern for animal care and the environment, several fast-food restaurants have included dishes with plant-based foods on their menus. Some examples of large chains are McDonald's and Starbucks, which have partnered with Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods to offer such alternatives. To promote these Beyond nuggets, the company has launched a campaign dubbed "Kentucky Fried Miracle" and enlisted YouTube star and influencer Liza Koshy. Koshy is an ideal spokesperson because her social content is "equal parts funny, fantastic and slightly unexpected, like the idea of plant-based fried chicken," according to brand officials. An Option Not Suitable for Vegetarians or Vegans? According to information provided by the company, the new chicken will be made with plant-based ingredients, but will not be "prepared in a vegan/vegetarian manner." The 'Beyond Fried Chicken' will be cooked in shared fryers in the restaurants' kitchens, a representative of the chain confirmed to Nexstar.