Burger King has been a pioneer among fast-food chains when it comes to offering plant-based meat alternatives. In August, it began offering the Impossible Whopper, a non-meat version of its signature sandwich ….
That was a bold play by the company to expand its audience and, so far, it’s working. CEO Jose Cil cited the meat-free sandwich in his remarks during the chain’s fourth-quarter earnings call.
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While vegetarian options have been tried (and frequently abandoned) in the past by various fast-food chains, Burger King management seems to believe that the Impossible Whopper has long-term potential.
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“[T]he Impossible Whopper was a big highlight of 2019 and continued to be an important sales driver in Q4, generating healthy levels of incrementality at a premium price point,” [Cil] said. “Given the sustained performance of the Impossible Whopper, we’re confident that plant-based food represents a new platform for the brand and one that we can build into new occasions, dayparts, products, and proteins.”
