Beyond Meat has just launched vegan pepperoni. You can get it at these 70 Pizza Hut locations.

Today, Pizza Hut is adding vegan pepperoni to the menu at nearly 70 locations in five cities across the United States for a limited time. Collaboratively developed by vegan brand Beyond Meat and the culinary teams at Pizza Hut, the new soy-free plant-based pepperoni is made from rice and peas and features a hint of spice. Beyond Pepperoni crisps the same way as traditional Pizza Hut pepperoni, but comes with zero cholesterol or animal products.

“Pizza Hut’s new Beyond Pepperoni pizza delivers the same iconic taste as our original pepperoni that fans know and love,” said Georgeanne Erickson, Brand Chef, Pizza Hut. “With this new plant-based option, we’re giving customers more choices and more reasons to love Pizza Hut.”

The Beyond Pepperoni is available on all Pizza Hut crusts at locations in Albany, NY; Columbus and Macon, Georgia; Houston, TX; and Jacksonville, FL for a limited time. Pizza Hut does not currently offer vegan cheese.

“We know there is strong consumer demand for pepperoni, and we’re excited to unveil a game-changing plant-based pepperoni topping as the next chapter in our innovation-driven partnership with Pizza Hut. Dariush Ajami, director of innovation at Beyond Meat, said. “We’re sure fans will love Beyond Pepperoni because it offers the crispy edges and savory flavor profile of Pizza Hut’s classic pepperoni with the added benefits of plant-based meat.” “

Beyond Meat at Pizza Hut

The limited launch of Beyond Pepperoni is an extension of Beyond Meat’s partnership with Yum! Brands, parent company of fast food giants Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell. Last year, Pizza Hut launched two Beyond Pan Pizzas at all traditional locations and participating Pizza Hut Express locations nationwide. Beyond Italian Sausage Pizza is a classic (dairy) cheese pizza topped with Beyond Meat Italian sausage crumbles, while The Great Beyond Pizza specialty includes dairy cheese, fresh vegetable toppings including tomatoes, red onions Sliced ​​and zesty banana peppers, the plant-based Italian sausage and is served on Pizza Hut’s classic Original Pan crust. Pizza Hut has also added Beyond Meat plant-based sausages to its menus in Puerto Rico, Canada, Belgium and the UK.

At KFC, the brand created Beyond Fried Chicken, which the chain tested on an Atlanta site in 2019 with great fanfare. While KFC has expanded vegan chicken testing locations to other locations in 2020, the chain has yet to announce the nationwide launch of Beyond Fried Chicken.

Beyond Meat has also worked closely with Taco Bell on an all-new vegan meat option set to launch this year. In the meantime, Taco Bell has teased vegans with limited launches of The Cravetarian Taco (a meatless version of its Crunchy Taco Supreme stuffed with a “boldly seasoned vegetable protein”) and The Naked Chalupa with a crisp plant-based shell. (a meatless version of his chalupa wrapped in a vegan chicken shell).

Vegan pepperoni is popping up in pizzerias

While Pizza Hut is the first to offer Beyond Pepperoni, competing chains have also entered the plant-based pepperoni business. In July, Little Caesars, the world’s third-largest pizza chain, added vegan pepperoni to the menu at hundreds of its restaurants across the country. His new plant-based pepperoni is made by the vegan brand Field Roast and is available as a topping on any custom pizza and as part of a Planeroni pizza, made with vegan pepperoni and dairy-based cheese. .

And while more vegan pepperoni is always a good thing, the vegan cheese has yet to launch in a national chain, but that may change soon. Earlier this month, vegan brand Miyoko’s Creamery secured a $ 52 million investment and is looking to break into the restaurant industry with its innovative liquid vegan mozzarella cheese made specifically for pizza chains.