KFC To Launch Beyond Meat's Plant-based Fried Chicken Across U.S.

(RTTNews) - KFC restaurants, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., plans to start selling plant-based fried chicken from Beyond Meat Inc. across the United States.

In pre-market activity on Nasdaq, Beyond Meat shares are gaining around 10 percent to trade at $67.80.

Starting January 10, the chicken restaurant brand will offer the new Beyond Fried Chicken for a limited time. Beyond Fried Chicken's prices at most KFCs reportedly will start at $6.99.

In August 2019, KFC became the first U.S. quick service restaurant to introduce the plant-based fried chicken, in partnership with Beyond Meat. Beyond Fried Chicken, which was available first in Atlanta, was later expanded to more areas in 2020.

KFC then revealed that the plant-based Beyond Fried Chicken is available in nuggets with choice of favorite dipping sauce, like KFC's signature Finger Lickin' Good sauce, or boneless wings tossed in one of three delicious sauce options: Nashville Hot, Buffalo or Honey BBQ.

In February 2021, Yum and Beyond Meat announced a partnership to create plant-based menu items for KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut over the next several years. The company hopes that the long-term potential of plant-based protein menu items would attract more customers to its brands, especially younger consumers.

The company also hopes to offer craveable plant-based options on its menus to flexitarian customers, who cut down their meat consumption for health and environmental reasons, though it does not expect meat alternatives to ever replace the iconic core menu items.

Beyond Meat is said to be able to use 99 percent less water, use 93 percent less land, generate 90 percent fewer greenhouse gases, and use 46 percent less energy in producing a Beyond burger compared to a beef burger.

At present, Beyond Meat products are sold through Yum! restaurants in Canada, the United States and, the United Kingdom.