Arby’s makes 'meat-based vegetable' to rival plant-based meat craze
In response to the meatless burger craze, Arby’s has decided to come out with its own alternative: meat-based vegetables.
The company posted a video on Wednesday showing their new creation: carrots made of turkey breast.
The nearly 60-second video, titled “The Marrot” opened with the line: “If they can make meat from veggies (and other stuff) we can make veggies from meat.”
It then shows a turkey breast being sliced and rolled into the shape of carrots in a cheesecloth.
The chef then cooked the meat sous vide-style — placing it in a vacuum-sealed bag that was cooked in temperature-controlled waters — before rolling the pieces in a special dried carrot juice powder and roasting them.
In a change from Arby’s classic slogan, “We have the meats,” the video closed with the words: “We have the Megetables.”
“Plant-based meats are the latest incarnation of making vegetables look like what Americans really want, which is great, tasty meat,” Jim Taylor, chief marketing officer for Arby’s, said in an online statement.
“Universally, people know we’re supposed to eat vegetables every day,” he added. “But 90 percent of American’s don’t eat the recommended amount. So we said if others can make meat out of vegetables, why can’t we make vegetables out of meat?”
In May, an Arby’s spokesperson told FOX Business the restaurant would not be collaborating with Impossible Foods to create a plant-based meat product for its menu.
“Contrary to reports, Arby’s is not one of the restaurant companies interested in working with Impossible Foods. We are America’s home for the meats, and are proud to have earned that title by doing things differently than the rest of the industry," the spokesperson said in an email.
"We opened our doors in 1964 offering a 69-cent, premium and abundant roast beef sandwiches while the rest of the competition was selling hamburgers for 15 cents. While Arby’s has been keeping tabs on this curious new world of 100% plant-based products posing as meats, following this trend like everyone else goes against who we are as a business," the spokesman added. "The chances Arby’s will bring plant-based protein to our menu — now or in the future — are absolutely impossible.”
Arby’s president Rob Lynch told Fortune he was shocked to hear rumors that Arby’s was considering adding plant-based meat items on its menus like many other fast food chains including Burger King and Little Caesars.
“’Please, please, please say it isn’t so!’” Lynch recalled telling colleagues, according to Fortune.
But Lynch reiterated it "won't happen on [his] watch."
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A number of restaurants have partnerships with Impossible Foods, including White Castle and Bareburger. According to research firm MarketsandMarkets, the global market for meat substitutes is expected to grow steadily from an estimated $4.6 billion in 2018 to $6.4 billion by 2023.
Despite the booming market, Lynch said the image of the Arby’s brand is “making big, high quality, meaty, abundant sandwiches.”
“That’s who we are,” Lynch said.
He added, “The only way would be if I got fired for some reason."
Fox Business' Kathleen Joyce, Jade Scipioni and Jennifer Earl contributed to this report.