McDonald's goes beyond meat with plant-based twist on BLT

McDonald's is ready to begin testing a greener alternative to the time-honored BLT, replacing the signature bacon with plant-based meat.

Whether customers at 28 different McDonald's restaurants in southwestern Ontario, Canada, will be lovin' it, however, is an open question. A test run for the plant/lettuce/tomato sandwich will start September 30 and continue for 12 weeks; the Chicago-based chain has previously offered plant-based meat at locations in Israel and Germany.

McDonald's shares rose 0.8 percent to $214.20 after the announcement, better than the slight declines in broader markets.

The P.L.T. consists of "a juicy, plant-based patty made with Beyond Meat and served on a sesame seed bun with tomato, lettuce, pickles, onion, mayo-style sauce, ketchup, mustard, and a slice of processed cheddar cheese," McDonald's said. The P.L.T. has 460 calories, 17 grams of protein, 25 grams of fat, and 42 grams of carbohydrates.

Ticker Security Last Change Change %
MCD MCDONALD'S CORP. 292.44 -1.80 -0.61%
BYND BEYOND MEAT INC. 4.96 -0.02 -0.40%

"We’re always listening to our customers and we’re always innovating," Ann Wahlgren, the company's vice president of global menu strategy, said in a statement. "As customer interest in plant-based options accelerated rapidly, our curiosity piqued, too."

Such options have become increasingly trendy. Companies such as KFC, Dunkin Brands, and Nestle are all currently working on or testing healthier, plant-oriented meat offerings.

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