McDonald’s starts offering vegan meat in China

McDonald’s will begin serving vegan spam dubbed OmniPork Luncheon Meat as part of its breakfast menu in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.

The OmniPork Luncheon Meat was rolled out to 280 McDonald’s locations in Hong Kong and Macau last October.

It is a plant-based version of Hormel’s popular canned meat made of soybeans, wheat, beets, and coconut oil and manufactured by OmniFoods, a Hong Kong-based company founded by David Yeung, the entrepreneur behind social enterprise Green Monday.

The positive response prompted McDonald’s to offer this plant-based option in other Asian markets.

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

China’s alternative meat industry is a key target market for several international plant-based players.

Last year, Starbucks, offered a plant-based menu from Beyond Meat, and Omnipork in its 4,200 locations across China.

KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut followed suit, adding Beyond Meat products to its menu at five locations in Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Shanghai.

Other plant-based food and beverage that have entered the Chinese food sector include Eat JUST Inc. and Oatly AB.