McDonald’s has announced that it will launch its first ever fully vegan meal in the New Year.
From 2 January 2020, McDonald’s lovers in the UK will be able to order a meal which is entirely free from animal products. The Veggie Dippers meal features a handful of vegan nuggets which are served with chips and a soft drink.
The veggie dippers are a combination of rice, red peppers, tomato pesto and split peas, which are fried in breadcrumbs. According to a McDonald’s spokesperson, there is no need to worry about cross contamination because the vegan meals will be fried separately from products that contain meat, and served alongside McDonald’s signature chips, which are vegan-friendly.
Speaking about the decision to launch their first fully vegan meal in the UK, Thomas O’Neil, McDonald’s head of food marketing in the UK & Ireland said: “In the last 12 months we've seen an 80 percent uplift in customers ordering vegetarian options at McDonald's, so it is time for the brand famous for the dippable McNugget to launch a dippable option for our vegetarian, vegan and flexitarian customers."
"The Veggie Dippers are a delicious addition to our menu, and we're looking forward to seeing what customers make of our first vegan Extra Value Meal and Happy Meal in the New Year."
McDonald's is the latest in a long line of fast casual outlets to experiment with vegan options. Earlier this year, nationwide bakery chain Gregg’s launched a vegan sausage roll, while fried chicken purveyors KFC have also introduced vegan options. Interestingly, McDonald’s is yet to join the trend for vegan burgers, but the Veggie Dippers are certainly a move towards introducing more plant-based options to the menu.
The news was met with praise by animal rights organisation PETA, who said: “A vegan meal - one that doesn't require killing - is the very definition of a happy meal. We'll continue to encourage consumers to vote with their wallets and choose vegan to help spare pigs, cows, and chickens a short, miserable life and a violent death."
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