Sept. 27 (UPI) — McDonald’s announced Thursday it will pilot a plant-based burger in Canada.
The new plant-based burger called the P.L.T., for plant, lettuce, tomato, will be available in 28 select restaurants in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, starting on Sept. 30, McDonald’s said in a statement.
The plant-based patty has no artificial colors, artificial flavors or preservatives, the statement said.
“McDonald’s has a proud legacy of fun, delicious and craveable food — and now, we’re extending that to a test of a juicy, plant-based burger,” Vice President of Global Menu Strategy Ann Wahlgren said. “We’ve been working on our recipe and now we’re ready to hear feedback from our customers.”
The P.L.T. will be priced at 6.49 Canadian dollars ($4.90), plus tax.
The plant-based burger will be available in the test market for 12 weeks.
“During this test, we’re excited to hear what customers love about the P.L.T. to help our global markets better understand what’s best for their customers,” Wahlgren said. “This test allows us to learn more about real-world implications of serving the P.L.T., including customer demand and impact on restaurant operations.”
McDonald’s has partnered with Beyond Meat, a company that provides plant-based meat substitutes, to create the new product.
“By shifting from animal, to plant-based meat, we are creating one savory solution that solves four growing issues attributed to livestock production: human health, climate change, constraints on natural resources and animal welfare,” Beyond Meat states in its mission statement on its website.
With the announcement Thursday, shares of Beyond Meat closed up 11 percent, CNBC reported.
Other fast-food chains have also announced launches of plant-based options this year.
KFC announced a partnership with Beyond Meat last month to serve a plant-based chicken substitute.
Burger King launched its plant-based “Impossible Whopper” in partnership with Impossible Foods, another plant-based meat substitute company, in April.
