Taco Bell is launching Beyond Carne Asada SteakTaco Bell is launching Beyond Carne Asada Steak

Joanna Fantozzi

Taco Bell announced Wednesday the introduction of Beyond Carne Asada Steak in collaboration with Beyond Meat. This item will be available as an LTO in test markets in the Dayton, Ohio area starting Oct. 13 and will be featured in the Beyond Steak quesadilla (priced the same as a traditional steak quesadilla). Customers, however, can add the item as protein in any menu item and there is no additional cost to swap out proteins for the Beyond Steak.

“At Taco Bell, we've long believed that anyone should be able to choose plant-based menu items without compromising the flavors they crave," Liz Matthews, Taco Bell's global chief food innovation officer said in a statement. "That's why we at Taco Bell are thrilled to reveal the result of our long-standing partnership with Beyond Meat, which is previously unseen in the QSR industry. This plant-based carne asada steak is just the latest move in our history of crafting some of the most unique, crave-worthy offerings for all fans."

This will be Beyond Meat’s first plant-based steak product: previously the company has only created vegan ground beef and beef crumbles. The product is made with vegan ingredients like vital wheat gluten and faba bean protein.

"We know that consumers are looking for diverse protein options that are better for the planet without compromising on taste, so we're incredibly excited to launch our brand-new, innovative Beyond Carne Asada Steak," Dariush Ajami, Beyond Meat's chief innovation officer said in a statement. "Designed to specifically complement the bold, savory flavors that Taco Bell is known for, Beyond Carne Asada Steak delivers the flavorful, delicious taste and texture of marinated, grilled steak with the added benefits of plant-based meat."

Taco Bell has a rich history of offering a variety of plant-based fillings and proteins, from its ever-popular cheesy fiesta potatoes, which returned after a hiatus during the pandemic, much to the delight of fans, and its multiple iterations of proprietary plant-based proteins, including the “boldly seasoned” pea and chickpea blend protein that was used as the star of the Cravetarian Taco in April 2021, and  the “boldly seasoned plant-based protein” in the Crispy Melt Taco introduced last month.  According to the brand, plant-based orders account for 12% of all sales.

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