McDonalds is making its own plant-based burger

McDonalds is making its own plant-based burger and other meatless menu items. The company will start to test the McPlant products in some markets next year.

"In the future, McPlant could extend across a line of plant-based products including burgers, chicken-substitutes and breakfast sandwiches," the company's international president Ian Borden said at an investor meeting on Monday, according to USA Today. The company says the McPlant burger "delivers our iconic taste in a sink-your-teeth-in (and wipe-your-mouth) kind of sandwich. It’s made with a juicy, plant-based patty and served on a warm, sesame seed bun with all the classic toppings."

McDonalds is lagging behind many of its competitors in having plant-based items on its menu in the US. The company previously developed a plant-based burger with Beyond Meat that had a trial run in Canada, but it stopped selling that item earlier this year. It also rolled out a vegan burger in Germany in 2019.

It’s intriguing that McDonalds is making its own meatless products instead of relying on existing options. Last year, Burger King started selling the Impossible Whopper, which includes Impossible Foods' plant-based patty. Many other fast-food chains have plant-based menu items, including Carl's Jr. and Del Taco, which use Beyond Meat products.

Update 11/9 3:30PM ET: Beyond Meat has said that they co-created the plant-based patty for McDonald’s.