US fast-food giant Burger King on Tuesday launched its meatless burger in Europe, hoping to capture a substantial slice of a growing market.
The new meatless sandwich is to be launched in Britain at a later date, possibly around the start of next year, the firm said. Some critics noted however that if the same cooking grills were used for meat and chicken products, strict vegetarians would shun the new offering.The fast-food giant and competitors Yum Brands and Kentucky Fried Chicken have got a step ahead of McDonald's in the United States in recent months.
The global food industry has seen competition open up for alternative proteins to draw in growing numbers of consumers who have adopted a vegan diet for dietary, ethical or environmental reasons. They are in competition with Dutch firm The Vegetarian Butcher, which was bought recently by the multinational group Unilever, and which supplies Burger King in Europe.