Outlets of McDonald’s in China will offer five new vegetarian items featuring Omnipork’s vegan spam in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.

McDonald’s has added its first vegan meat option to its outlets in China.

The fast-food giant has partnered with Green Monday to serve OmniPork Luncheon Meat – vegan spam made by OmniFoods – as part of its breakfast menu in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.

OmniFoods is a Hong Kong-based company founded by David Yeung, the eco-conscious entrepreneur behind social enterprise Green Monday.

Last October, the OmniPork Luncheon Meat, which is essentially a plant-based version of Hormel’s popular canned meat made using soybeans, wheat, beets, and coconut oil was rolled out to 280 McDonald’s locations in Hong Kong and Macau.

The positive response has led McDonald’s to expand the availability of this plant-based option in other Asian markets.

The restaurant chain has introduced five new vegetarian items that include breakfast wraps and sandwiches. However, these items are not vegan friendly since each appears to contain eggs.

‘Sustainable menu innovation’

“This collaboration is long anticipated after last October’s launch in Hong Kong and Macau. On behalf of the Green Monday team, we would like to express our sincere appreciation to McDonald’s China for making this impactful collaboration become reality,” Yeung said in a post on Linkedin.

 “By introducing tasty and sustainable menu innovation, the planet, our animal friends along with many new-generation customers will be overjoyed to sing, ‘Ba da ba ba ba….I’m lovin’ it.’”

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Plant-based trend in China

A growing number of Chinese consumers are seeking food choices based on health, environmental and ethical reasons.

 China’s alt meat industry has been pegged as a key target market and several international plant-based players are also looking to foray into the country’s burgeoning plant-based food sector.

Last year, Starbucks, rolled out a new plant-based menu featuring vegan meals from Beyond Meat, and Omnipork in all of its 4,200 locations across China.

A couple of months later KFC China—along with Taco Bell and Pizza Hut added Beyond Meat products to its menu at five locations in Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Shanghai.

Other plant-based food and beverage makers that have already entered the Chinese food sector include Oatly AB and Eat JUST Inc. – a vegan egg company.

• Read: Second city in China bans eating dogs, cats, and wild animals following coronavirus outbreak

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Mohsina Dodhiya

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