One of China’s Leading Fast-Food Chains Replaces Egg With Vegan Egg

Jan 15

Demand for plant-based products is booming as pandemic inspires “more awareness in China on safety, on clean protein and protein free of antibiotics”.

One of China’s largest fast-food chains has replaced eggs with a plant-based egg in a major sign of the food industry's shift towards embracing more sustainable and healthy animal-free products.

Fast-food chain Dicos, who have over 2,600 stores in China, have replaced their conventional egg patty with a popular vegan egg made by US company Eat Just.

The JUST Egg is made from protein-rich mung beans and free from cholesterol, and cooks, looks, and tastes, like the real thing.

Dicos’ landmark move is being hailed as a “global plant-based protein milestone”, marking the first time a major quick service restaurant has swapped an animal-based product with a plant-based one across multiple regular menu offerings. The JUST Egg is now available at over 500 Dicos stores and appears on their menu in three breakfast burgers, three bagel sandwiches, and a western-style breakfast plate.

A look at the JUST Egg. Credit: Eat Just

“The introduction of JUST Egg at Dicos is a product and brand upgrade based on consumers' increasing interest in nutrition, healthier diets and environmental awareness. We look forward to seeing the consumer response and will plan future menu offerings around it,” said Dicos Chief Marketing Officer Xie Yahui.

Vegan egg producer Eat Just are thrilled to be helping to meet the global demand for plant-based food, and are reportedly now in talks to supply other restaurant chains in China with their JUST Egg.

“We've witnessed the excitement consumers in China have for JUST Egg, all driven by a generational move to healthier, more sustainable foods. We're grateful to partner with Dicos on this global plant-based protein milestone,” said Eat Just co-founder and CEO Josh Tetrick.

The COVID-19 pandemic has reignited concern around food quality and safety. “There is more awareness in China on safety, on clean protein and protein free of antibiotics”, Tetrick explained to Reuters. That’s one of the reasons why brands from KFC to Starbucks have been racing to add more and more plant-based options to their menus in China recently.

And China’s appetite for plant-based food shows no signs of slowing down: the meat alternatives market is estimated to be worth $12.3 billion by 2025, an increase from $10.8 billion in 2020, according to business analysts Euromonitor International.

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