Pizza Hut in Canada and alt-meat company Beyond Meat are expanding their partnership after the successful trial of a plant-based Beyond Italian Sausage Crumbles pizza.
The vegetarian option will now be a permanent offering at Pizza Hut Canada’s 450 locations along with two other non-pizza vegetarian dishes: the Beyond Italian Sausage Alfredo Loaded Flatbread and the Beyond Creamy Alfredo, a savoury pasta alfredo dish layered with Beyond Italian Sausage Crumbles, onions, mushrooms and mozzarella cheese.
Pizza Hut and Beyond Meat say the alt-meat crumble delivers the same taste and texture as the fast-food chain’s popular Italian pork sausage. Made from non-GMO plant-based ingredients without soy or gluten, Beyond Italian Sausage Crumbles contain 20g of protein per serving, derived from peas.
“After seeing great excitement from Pizza Hut fans across Toronto and Edmonton last summer, we’re beyond thrilled to give Canadian fans everywhere the opportunity to try and fall in love with these Beyond Meat menu items,” said Amy Rozinsky, head of consumer marketing at Pizza Hut Canada.
“Pizza Hut and Beyond Meat have a shared vision to innovate new and exciting products that will delight our guests. Beyond Italian Sausage Crumbles offer a delicious plant-based twist on our classic pork sausage that you’ll have to taste to believe.”
The company is also encouraging customers to add or substitute the topping to their favourite regular pizza choices.
As in other global markets, more and more Canadians are adopting flexitarian diets, substituting one or more meat-based meals a week for alternatives.
“At Beyond Meat, we believe that small changes like choosing plant-based protein on your favourite pizza can make a positive impact on human health and the health of our planet,” said Deanna Jurgens, chief growth officer at Beyond Meat.
“With the combined strength of our brands, we are continuing to increase the accessibility of plant-based protein for Canadians everywhere.”
Canada is the second market to permanently offer Beyond Meat menu items nationally following a successful trial of Beyond Meat Pizzas in the UK last year, which saw it added to the regular menu last July.
Pizza Hut is the latest of a number of fast-food chains around the world adding alt-meat and alt-fish options to their regular menu, including KFC and Burger King. Plant-based pizzas are also taking off across the border in the pizza-crazy US market.
