KFC, Beyond Meat chicken rollout on tap

Beyond Fried Chicken will start at $6.99 but prices may vary by location

Kentucky Fried Chicken and Beyond Meat's new collaboration, Beyond Fried Chicken, will make its nationwide debut in KFC restaurants starting on Jan. 10 for a limited time. 

Kentucky Fried Chicken and Beyond Meat’s highly anticipated Kentucky Fried Miracle – Beyond Fried Chicken – is making its nationwide debut at KFC U.S. restaurants for a limited time, while supplies last. (KFC)

Beyond Fried Chicken will be the first-ever plant-based combo meal with fries for KFC, which is owned by Yum Brands. It also includes a medium drink and a choice of honey barbecue, ranch, honey mustard or KFC dipping sauce. In addition, customers can order Beyond Fried Chicken à la carte in six- or 12-piece orders. 

Ticker Security Last Change Change %
YUM YUM! BRANDS INC. 135.55 -5.65 -4.00%
BYND BEYOND MEAT INC. 6.92 +0.14 +2.06%

Beyond Fried Chicken will start at $6.99, tax extra, and prices may vary by location. 

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KFC became the first quick service restaurant to introduce plant-based chicken to its customers when it tested the first iteration of Beyond Fried Chicken in Atlanta in August 2019, which proved to be an overwhelming success. The test store sold out of the offering in less than five hours. Over the course of 2020, Beyond Fried Chicken testing expanded to select restaurants in Nashville, Charlotte and Southern California.

"We couldn't be prouder to partner with KFC to offer a best-in-class product that not only delivers the delicious experience consumers expect from this iconic chain, but also provides the added benefits of plant-based meat," Beyond Meat founder and CEO Ethan Brown said in a statement. "We are truly thrilled to make it available to consumers nationwide."

"The mission from day one was simple – make the world-famous Kentucky Fried Chicken from plants," KFC U.S. president Kevin Hochman added. "And now over two years later we can say, 'Mission accomplished.'"

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KFC isn't the only food giant working on plant-based meat alternatives. 

In November, McDonald's tested its McPlant Burger, developed in partnership with Beyond Meat, for a limited time at eight of its restaurants in Irving and Carrollton, Texas; Cedar Falls, Iowa; Jennings and Lake Charles, Louisiana; and El Segundo and Manhattan Beach, California. 

Ticker Security Last Change Change %
MCD MCDONALD'S CORP. 272.66 -0.41 -0.15%

Pizza Hut, which is also owned by YUM! Brands, also tested plant-based toppings in 70 locations across five markets in August and Dunkin' sells a Beyond Meat breakfast sandwich at a limited number of U.S. locations.  

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QSR RESTAURANT BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC. 73.31 -2.53 -3.34%
CMG CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL INC. 3,125.66 -30.46 -0.97%

Meanwhile, Burger King and Impossible Foods teamed up to test plant-based chicken nuggets in October in Des Moines, Iowa; Boston and Miami. In addition, Chipotle announced this week that it would offer plant-based chorizo nationwide for a limited time. 

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In addition to restaurants, Beyond Meat began offering plant-based chicken tenders at grocers including Walmart, ShopRite, Jewel-Osco, Safeway Norcal, Harris Teeter and Giant Foods in September. 

Ticker Security Last Change Change %
WMT WALMART INC. 59.10 -0.21 -0.36%

The new exposure from KFC comes as shares of Beyond Meat have plunged approximately 43% over the past year.   

This story was originally published on 1-5-22.