Pizza Hut Expands Partnership with Beyond Meat® to Test New Plant-Based Beyond Pepperoni™ Pizza Topping

PLANO, Texas, Aug. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pizza Hut and Beyond Meat® have reunited, and it tastes so good. The two innovation leaders are entering another milestone in their partnership with the debut of Beyond Pepperoni™, a delicious plant-based version of Pizza Hut's #1 selling pizza topping, and a first for both brands. Beginning today, the Beyond Pepperoni Pizza will be available as a test in nearly 70 locations across five U.S. markets for a limited time, only at Pizza Hut.

Crisped and seasoned to savory perfection, Beyond Pepperoni delivers just the right amount of subtle heat and offers the same experience and taste of Pizza Hut's classic pepperoni¹, now with the added benefits of plant-based protein. Beyond Pepperoni was co-developed by Beyond Meat and Pizza Hut's culinary teams and is made from simple, plant-based ingredients like peas and rice, with no GMOs, soy, gluten, hormones, antibiotics or cholesterol.² As part of its ongoing partnership with Beyond Meat, Pizza Hut is doubling down on innovation and catering to evolving preferences through exciting, diverse protein options.

"Pizza Hut's new Beyond Pepperoni Pizza delivers the same iconic taste as our original pepperoni that fans know and love," said Georgeanne Erickson, Chief Brand Officer, Pizza Hut. "With this new plant-based option, we're giving customers more choices and more reasons to love Pizza Hut."

"We know there is strong consumer demand for pepperoni, and we're thrilled to unveil a game-changing plant-based pepperoni topping as the next chapter in our innovation-focused partnership with Pizza Hut," said Dariush Ajami, Chief Innovation Officer, Beyond Meat. "We're confident fans will love Beyond Pepperoni as it delivers the crisped edges and savory flavor profile of Pizza Hut's classic pepperoni with the added benefits of plant-based meat."  

For a taste that's Beyond Belief™, pizza lovers can try the new Beyond Pepperoni Pizza on any of their favorite crusts, including the innovation icons, Original Stuffed Crust® and Original Pan® crusts³, at nearly 70 Pizza Hut locations in five cities: Albany, New York; Columbus and Macon, Georgia; Houston, Texas; and Jacksonville, Florida.

Beyond Pepperoni Pizza is available for a limited time, while supplies last. To order for contactless delivery, carryout or curbside pickup, customers can click here to find their nearest participating Pizza Hut location and order from the Deals page⁴. 

Pizza Hut and Beyond Meat are committed to making plant-based protein  more accessible to pizza lovers everywhere and hope to bring the new Beyond Pepperoni Pizza to more Pizza Hut locations in the future. The partnership between Pizza Hut and Beyond Meat is part of Yum! Brands' strategic partnership to co-create craveable and innovative plant-based protein menu items. Together, the two leaders in their respective categories have launched delicious plant-based meat toppings in the U.S., Canada, Belgium and Puerto Rico.

About Pizza Hut® 
Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), has more restaurant locations in the world than any other pizza company. Founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kan., Pizza Hut operates nearly 18,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. With easy order options including the Pizza Hut app, mobile site, and Amazon and Google devices, Pizza Hut is committed to providing an easy pizza experience – from order to delivery – and has Hut Rewards, the Pizza Hut loyalty program that offers points for every dollar spent on food any way you order.

Now more than ever, restaurants have an important role in helping to safely feed families. As the largest pizza brand in the world by store count, Pizza Hut is committed to doing its part. To help keep team members and customers safe, customers can get their favorite Pizza Hut pizza via three contactless offerings: curbside pickup, delivery, or carryout. After becoming the first national pizza brand to offer Contactless Curbside Pickup, Pizza Hut launched The Hut Lane™, a dedicated digital order pick-up window available at more than 1,500 locations across the country. 

Pizza Hut is also the proprietor of The Literacy Project, an initiative designed to enable access, empower teachers and inspire a lifelong love of reading. The program is rooted in the foundation set by the Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Program, which is the longest-running corporate supported literacy program, impacting more than 14 million students each year. Pizza Hut is the Official and Only Pizza Sponsor of the NFL and NCAA®.

For more information about Pizza Hut, visit www.pizzahut.com or https://www.pizzahut.com/c/content/sitemap 

Contact: 
Brett LeVecchio, Pizza Hut
Brett.LeVecchio@yum.com 

About Beyond Meat
Beyond Meat, Inc. (NASDAQ: BYND) is one of the fastest growing food companies in the United States, offering a portfolio of revolutionary plant-based proteins made from simple ingredients without GMOs, bioengineered ingredients, hormones, antibiotics, or cholesterol. Founded in 2009, Beyond Meat products are designed to have the same taste and texture as animal-based meat while being better for people and the planet. Beyond Meat's brand commitment, Eat What You Love™, represents a strong belief that there is a better way to feed our future and that the positive choices we all make, no matter how small, can have a great impact on our personal health and the health of our planet. By shifting from animal-based meat to plant-based protein, we can positively impact four growing global issues: human health, climate change, constraints on natural resources and animal welfare. As of June 2021, Beyond Meat had products available at approximately 119,000 retail and foodservice outlets in over 80 countries worldwide. Visit www.BeyondMeat.com and follow @BeyondMeat, #BeyondBurger and #GoBeyond on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and @BeyondMeatOfficial on TikTok.

Contact:
Shira Zackai, Beyond Meat
shira.zackai@beyondmeat.com

¹ Beyond Pepperoni is plant-based but all Pizza Hut pizzas are prepared by team members with the same cooking tools and ovens used to prepare and serve our delicious animal meat-based pizzas and pastas. Beyond Pepperoni does not contain peanuts or tree nuts. However, it does contain protein from peas, which are legumes. People with severe allergies to other legumes (such as peanuts) should be cautious when introducing pea protein into their diet because of the possibility of a pea allergy.
² Pizza Hut pizzas and other toppings and crusts may contain these items.
³ For an upcharge, prices vary by location.
⁴ Team members do their best to accommodate contactless, curbside and other instructions, but availability may vary, and is not guaranteed. Delivery areas, charges and minimums vary. Delivery charge is not a driver tip. 

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SOURCE Pizza Hut