For a limited time, Yum Brand’s KFC restaurants will start selling plant-based fried “chicken” from Beyond Meat in the United States on Jan. 10. Beyond shares rose more than 7% in after-market trading.
KFC started testing Beyond’s plant-based chicken in August 2019 in Atlanta and expanded to more areas the following year. In February 2021, Yum and Beyond announced a global partnership to create plant-based menu items for Yum’s KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut over “the next several years.”
Major fast-food chains have been vying for partnerships with faux meat makers as they add vegan and vegetarian menu options. Beyond rival Impossible Foods Inc, Burger King, a division of Restaurant Brands International Inc, is collaborating.