Made in partnership with Unilever-owned The Vegetarian Butcher, the soy patty is served with sliced tomatoes, lettuce, mayonnaise, ketchup, pickles and sliced white onions on a toasted sesame seed bun.
The launch comes five months after the introduction of Burger King’s Impossible Whopper in the US, made from Impossible Food’s brand of soy-based mince.
Marketing director Katie Evans said: “This really is a game-changer – we wanted our first plant-based Whopper to replicate the indulgence and flame-grilled taste of the real thing as closely as possible, and we’re thrilled with the result.
‘Highly anticipated’
“We’re delighted to satisfy the demand for this highly-anticipated product and finally bring the Rebel to the UK.”
However, unlike other recent plant-based releases this month – such as Greggs’ vegan steak bake and KFC’s Original Recipe Vegan Burger – this latest offering from Burger King is neither vegan- nor vegetarian-friendly.
This is due to the cooking process, which sees the patties cooked in the same broiler as its meat products, and the fact that it contains mayonnaise.
Not vegan
Commenting on the burger’s launch, Toni Vernelli, international head of communications and marketing at Veganuary, said that, for most vegans, it doesn’t make much difference if the plant-based patty is cooked separately or on the same grill as meat.
“What does make a big difference to animals and the planet is when non-vegans choose a plant-based menu option, enjoy it and then order it again,” he added.
“And that’s exactly who Burger King’s plant-based Whopper is aimed at – flexitarians who want to reduce their meat consumption for health or environmental reasons or are considering going vegan.”
Meanwhile, Greggs’ new vegan steak bake and KFC’s first meat-free burger are just two of the latest plant-based launches in time for Veganuary 2020, featured in this photo gallery.
