New plant-based burger put to the test in Canadian McDonald’s

27 Sep 2019 --- A pilot of the new plant-based burger P.L.T. – Plant. Lettuce. Tomato. – is being carried out in 28 McDonald’s restaurants in Ontario, Canada, from next week onward. The fast-food giant will be conducting a 12-week test of the P.L.T. which is made with a Beyond Meat plant-based patty that has been crafted exclusively “by McDonald’s, for McDonald’s.”

Ann Wahlgren, McDonald’s VP of Global Menu Strategy, says “We’ve been working on our recipe and now we’re ready to hear feedback from our customers.”

The McDonald’s P.L.T. is a dressed plant-based burger on a warm, soft, sesame seed bun with the iconic McDonald’s taste. Featuring a plant-based patty with no artificial colors, artificial flavors, or artificial preservatives, the meat-free option will be priced at CAD $6.49 (US$4.90) plus tax.

Global tests like these offer innovation and variety to customers in a test market before rollout decisions are made.

“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,” adds Wahlgren. “This test allows us to learn more about the real-world implications of serving the P.L.T., including customer demand and impact on restaurant operations.” 

The McDonald’s plant-based burger pilot comes amid a wave of other plant-based offerings this week. Yesterday, US vegetarian food innovator, Sweet Earth, owned by Nestlé, unveiled the “Awesome Burger”. This plant-based offering is positioned to compete with rival products from the likes of Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat. 

Impossible Foods has also entered the retail market with the rollout of its 2.0 plant-based meats across 27 Gelson’s Markets in Southern California, US. East Coast expansion is slated for later this month, with Impossible Foods planning to be available in grocery stores across every region of the US by mid-2020. 

And, UK retailer Tesco launched its own-brand range of plant-based products to keep pace with growing demand for meat-free food. Described as one of the key culinary trends of the last decade, the supermarket is tapping into the continued popularity of chilled vegetarian and vegan offerings with its new range, Tesco Plant Chef.

By Gaynor Selby