Beyond Meat announces partnerships with McDonald’s and Yum BrandsBeyond Meat announces partnerships with McDonald’s and Yum Brands

Joanna Fantozzi

Beyond Meat, Inc. announced Thursday two separate partnerships with McDonald’s and Yum Brands.

Beyond Meat’s collaboration with Yum Brands is a “global strategic partnership” to co-create multiple products for each of the Yum brands over the next several years, expanding upon its initial test of Beyond fried chicken at select KFC locations and Beyond Italian sausage pizza released at Pizza Hut in 2020. Beyond Meat’s partnership with McDonald’s, however, is a three-year agreement as the “preferred supplier” of the patty in McDonald’s highly anticipated McPlant burger, announced in November.

In its partnership with Beyond Meat, Yum Brands plans to increase the number of “plant-based items” marketed toward flexitarians and evolving customer tastes.

“Today’s announcement builds on our strong relationship with Beyond Meat and, given the consumer response during recent tests with Beyond Meat, we’re excited about the long-term potential plant-based protein menu items have to attract more customers to our brands, especially younger consumers,” Chris Turner, Yum Brands CFO said in a statement. “We expect this Beyond Meat partnership to strengthen our brands’ capability to offer delicious, plant-based menu items that are driven by consumer demand for more diverse protein options and our brands’ strategies in local markets.”

Related:Taco Bell announces the return of Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes and Spicy Potato Soft Tacos; Beyond Meat product is on the horizon

Beyond Meat’s collaboration with McDonald’s, meanwhile, seemingly allows the quick-service chain to explore partnerships with other meat alternative companies (or to create their own products in-house). Together, Beyond Meat and McDonald’s will be working on expanding the McPlant platform creating plant-based options for chicken, pork and eggs. This collaboration expands upon the partnership between McDonald’s Canada and Beyond Meat and release of a plant-based patty in 2019.

“Our new McPlant platform is all about giving customers more choices when they visit McDonald’s,” Francesca DeBiase, McDonald’s executive vice president and chief supply chain officer said in a statement. “We’re excited to work with Beyond Meat to drive innovation in this space and entering into this strategic agreement is an important step on our journey to bring delicious, high quality, plant-based menu items to our customers.”

The terms of both partnerships are subject to mutually agreeable definitive agreements.

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