More Than 10,000 Sign Petition for Plant-Based Chicken at Popeyes  

A new petition urging chicken chain Popeyes to add a vegan chicken option has gained more than 10,000 signatures. The petition was started by Yale Law School student Manny Rutinel who pointed out that a number of fast-food restaurants, including competing chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), have already begun testing vegan chicken and other plant-based options on their menus. 

“If you’ve followed the news, you’ve seen the alarming number of coronavirus deaths disproportionately affecting communities of color. Nowhere was that more prevalent than in our nation’s meat industry, where such a stunning number of workers died that Latino civil rights groups called for meat boycotts,” Rutinel said. “At the same time, a growing number of communities are calling for more access to plant-based foods, particularly those communities most underserved. In fact, the growth of plant-based protein and meat alternatives is projected to increase from $4.6 billion to $85 billion in 2030. Popeyes has a tremendous opportunity to catch up to its competitors by providing a plant-based chicken option.”

In addition to KFC—which began its test of Beyond Fried Chicken last August—this month, fast-food chain Jack in the Box debuted its first plant-based chicken patty (made by Tyson-owned brand Raised & Rooted) featured in the Unchicken Sandwich, now available at select test locations in Reno, NV and Monterey and Salinas, CA.