McDonald’s Canada testing a vegetable-based burger — again

McDonald’s Canada is once again venturing into the world of vegetable-based burgers with the introduction of the new McVeggie. This new offering will be tested at select locations in Langley, Richmond, and Surrey, B.C., as well as Brampton and Windsor, Ont., and Dieppe, Moncton, Riverview, and Sussex, N.B., until April 14.

The McVeggie burger comes in two variations – regular and spicy habanero. The patty is made from a blend of carrots, green beans, zucchini, peas, soybeans, broccoli, and corn, all coated in breadcrumbs. It is served on a toasted sesame bun and topped with shredded lettuce and sauce.

This latest addition to the McDonald’s menu is an attempt to cater to customers who may not be interested in traditional meat-based options like the Big Mac. Previous attempts to attract vegetarians to the chain have not been successful, leaving the menu lacking in non-meat alternatives.

Before the McVeggie, McDonald’s Canada introduced the PLT (plant, lettuce, tomato) sandwich, made with a plant-based Beyond Meat patty. However, this item failed to resonate with consumers, leading to its eventual removal from the menu.

Chief Marketing Officer Francesca Cardarelli acknowledged that the PLT missed the mark by trying to mimic meat, a strategy that did not align with consumer preferences. The McVeggie aims to learn from past mistakes and offer a more appealing and unique vegetable-based option.

The development of the McVeggie involved studying feedback from the PLT trial and examining vegetable-based products tested in other markets such as India, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand. While the ingredients for the McVeggie are not entirely sourced from Canada due to climate limitations, the product was specifically developed for the Canadian market.

With an increasing number of Canadians having food limitations, McDonald’s hopes that the McVeggie will attract new customers and provide a plant-based option for those with dietary restrictions or preferences. The success of the McVeggie will be closely monitored to determine its impact on customer preferences and dining habits.

Overall, McDonald’s is optimistic about the potential of the McVeggie and looks forward to customer feedback to determine whether this vegetable-based offering has the potential to become a permanent menu item.