Image: Taco Bell
“Such a large part of our fandom is vegan or vegetarian, and we’re as committed to them as they are to us and our menu.”
Fast food giant Taco Bell is testing a vegan version of its beloved Crunchwrap.
The trial is happening at select restaurants in Los Angeles, New York City and Orlando.
According to the brand, the Vegan Crunchwrap tastes just like its iconic Crunchwrap with plant-based ground beef and nacho and Blanco sauces – a vegan take on sour cream.
The trial will run from this month until supplies last in the three cities that were selected due to their “notable vegan populations”.
The California-based chain added that this trial will help them gauge customer feedback and “inform future menu developments”.
Taco Bell and plant-based options.
This isn’t the first time that Taco Bell has launched meat-free options for its fans.
In fact, Taco Bell has long been considered a more vegan and vegetarian-friendly chain than many of its rivals.
Many of its entreés can already be made naturally vegetarian with beans instead of beef. Meanwhile, sour cream and cheese can be easily swapped with extra guacamole and spiced potatoes.
Last year, Taco Bell’s parent company – Yum! Brands – launched a quesadilla stuffed with Beyond Meat beef chunks, faba beans, and salad.
The Carne Asada Steak was Taco Bell’s first official collaboration with Beyond Meat after Yum! Brand inked a three-year deal with Beyond Meat in 2021.
However, the option was met with “mixed responses” along with another item called Crispy Melt Taco, which contained black beans.
While Taco Bell does not have any permanent items featuring a plant-based protein on its menus, Liz Matthews, Global Chief Food Innovation Officer at Taco Bell, is hoping the Vegan Crunchwrap will win over fans.
“Such a large part of our fandom is vegan or vegetarian, and we’re as committed to them as they are to us and our menu,” she said.
“That’s why we took so long, months and years, to release something this special; we wanted and needed to get it exactly right, to get it mouth-watering. Because let’s admit it, we’ve all eaten plenty of products on today’s market that don’t taste great and certainly aren’t craveable.”
Missy Schaaphok, Taco Bell’s Director of Global Nutrition and Sustainability, added: “Our fans are always hacking our customizable menu to try new options, especially veggie-forward.
“So now we’re hacking the hack, if you will, with a product that’s completely vegan as-is, right off the menu. I may be biased, but no veggie burger could compare.”
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