Sometimes a Whopper is the only thing that’ll set the soul straight. But for those among us who don’t eat meat, there’s been a sore lack of soul-straightening going on. That sorry state of affairs is about to change in the near future however, as Burger King Israel, together with the Israeli food-tech company Meat.The End, is launching “Veggie Kings,” a plant-based product category which will initially be sold exclusively in Israel.
The meat alternative company has developed both a plant-based Whopper and nuggets for the burger chain, which will be sold in Burger King branches at the same price as the meat products they substitute.
To celebrate the launch of its meat-alternative category, Burger King will open a vegan pop-up branch at Dizengoff Center in Tel Aviv until October 30, and starting November 19 the new meals will be available in the rest of the chain’s restaurants.
Burger King’s move to incorporate plant-based options into its menu highlights a trend wherein investors and consumers alike have generated much discourse around the negative environmental impact of the meat industry, leading many businesses to seek new ways to provide potential clientele with more climate-friendly options.
A large audience is looking for meat alternatives
“The launch of the plant-based category at Burger King Israel is a strategic move since, in our opinion, a large audience is looking for meat alternatives – not only vegans but also those who [wish to] reduce meat consumption, and this is a fascinating and developing trend on a global scale,” said Keren Kupermintz, VP marketing, trade and business development at Delek Israel.
“The launch of the plant-based category at Burger King Israel is a strategic move since, in our opinion, a large audience is looking for meat alternatives — not only vegans but also those who reduce [wish to] meat consumption, and this is a fascinating and developing trend on a global scale.”
Keren Kupermintz
“The product development process took about two years, including finding the ideal partner for the journey and a long series of fundamental, in-depth, and extensive market research [activities] and tests, per the international standards of the global brand,” Kupermintz said.
That “ideal partner” was found to be Meat.The End; a young meat alternative start-up founded in 2020 by its CEO Dr. Yishai Mishor. “Within a year, we developed meat alternatives that beat the world’s biggest competitors in taste tests. Today we are proud to launch them in the first collaboration between an Israeli start-up and an international food giant,” he said.
“Burger King’s move is a brave one and it deserves much appreciation. Businesses that allow their customers a tasty substitute for meat benefit twice – both in sales and by helping to save the planet. This is the key to dealing with the climate crisis,” Mishor said. “I have no doubt that we are at the threshold of a revolution in the food industry that is defined by the transition to alternative protein, as we change to sustainable food consumption.”