Kentucky Fried Chicken has “planted” a new business strategy to satisfy a greater majority of its customers.
Juicy, “finger-lickin’ good” fried chicken has remained an American staple for 70 years, and now it comes in a vegan alternative.
More people are ditching the idea of consuming meat for every meal. Without mass accessibility to organic meats, the convenient proteins may not be worth risking the poor side effects that come from eating antibiotic- and hormone-raised chicken and cattle.
During the 20th century, many individuals have shifted from relying on meat to provide protein, to using plant substitutes. Moving toward a plant-based lifestyle makes for more ethically produced foods and nutritional ingredients entering the body.
Many companies have begun making fundamental changes to their menus across the nation to implement cleaner foods in their selection. Vegan and vegetarian options are being made available in places never thought possible for meat replacements, and Kentucky Fried Chicken is one of these spots as of recently.
KFC has announced its official drop of plant-based foods to resemble their chicken nuggets and bucket options. On Jan. 10, 2022, KFC created one of the first mainstream plant-based meat replacements for their iconic fried chicken. They are using the plant constructed company Beyond Meat to formulate this chicken substitute.
Beyond Meat was founded in 2009 by Ethan Brown and has since become nationally known for its developed meat-like alternatives. To combat “climate change, human health, constraints on natural resources and animal welfare,” Beyond Meat remains focused on changing the world one meat replacement at a time.
Brown said in an interview with Bristol Farms, “I began to realize that with one small change—shifting the protein at the center of the plate to plant-based meat—we could positively impact all four of these issues.”
He plans on making his plant-based meat available everywhere and hopes to recreate all the products until the buyer cannot tell the difference between the animal and plant-based “meats.”
Making one of the first commercialized vegetarian meats, KFC intends to revolutionize the way fast food is produced. Beyond Meat curated a specific formula to mimic the classic Kentucky Fried Chicken, so it will not taste like its selections at the store. KFC is the first national U.S. QSR to develop this plant-based chicken and sell out their initial launching storefront in just five hours.
Liza Koshy, a social media made influencer, actress and producer, clucked her way to becoming the chicken spokesperson for KFC’s new plant-based launch. Koshy was chosen to represent the campaign because of her unexpected roles in the media industry. She creates clean and fun content, which can be viewed through KFC’s Beyond Fried Chicken campaign.
KFC’s packaging for this campaign shifted from its iconic red to a bright, vibrant green. Beyond Meat’s company color is green, but KFC has reconstructed its own container for the collaboration.
The debuting name is “KFC Beyond Fried Chicken,” saying “It’s a Kentucky Fried Miracle” with angel wings paired on the plant-chicken nuggets. It is paired with the customer’s choice of honey BBQ, ranch, honey mustard and the classic KFC sauce.
The full order comes with specially crafted fries, specifically made for the plant-based consumers and a medium drink. At a starting price of $6.99 for either six or 12-piece meals, this vegan fast-food option will bring a new clientele to KFC.
Traditionally made and served, KFC has made changes to its services with a Quick Pick-Up section and VIP parking spots for mobile app orders.
In hopes of creating a healthier nation and a wider variety of dietary options, more companies will begin to implement this substitution into their own menus.
