KFC joined fellow fast food giants Greggs and McDonalds to launch a plant-based menu for the New Year and the chain has recently revealed that they've sold a whopping 1 million vegan burgers since launching the new option on 2 January.
The popular chicken joint has been serving up a meat-free version of its original chicken fillet burger made from Quorn but to the same "famous Original recipe" when it comes to the coating. The move was met with delight from vegans around the country (because sure, fine dining is nice, but sometimes all you want is some gloriously greasy fried chicken).
The new burger arrived just in time for the start of Veganuary, for participants craving a finger-lickin’ meal while sticking to the challenge. However it would seem that its popularity is ceasing to dwindle.
The burger was initially trialled in London, Bristol, and the Midlands last summer and was wildly successful – selling out within four days as demand soared 500% more than was expected. However KFC has revealed that since its launch as a permanent feature on the menu Shoreditch has been the site with the highest sales figures for the item in the UK, followed closely by Nottingham, London Waterloo, Brighton and Manchester.
The new burger, called the Imposter, is made up of a bespoke Quorn fillet coated in the original batter recipe which is flavoured with 11 herbs and spices, squashed into a classic soft-glazed bun, with the additions of vegan mayo and iceberg lettuce.
The company aims to accommodate vegans, flexitarians, and chicken fans alike with the new burger, which stays true to the KFC flavours. The new item also got the stamp of approval from animal rights group PETA, who were pleased by the plant-based addition to the fast food chain’s menu and said that "this new offering from KFC will introduce a new audience to vegan foods".
Indeed, according to the company “Since its launch on 2 January, vegans, vegetarians, flexitarians and chicken fans alike have all flocked to KFC restaurants across the UK to try the vegan burger – with one burger being purchased roughly every three seconds.”
Many other food chains have joined the vegan movement, launching new menus for Veganuary and the rest of the year, as the number of vegans and vegetarians in the UK increases.
Thinking of going vegan? Check out our list of vegan hotspots in London.