Can fast-food restaurants help drive plant-based food consumption?

(2 min read)

The role of fast-food restaurants in normalising sustainable, plant-based foods

In our busy and modern social lives, people visit fast-food restaurants worldwide. Not only do these eateries allow for ease and convenience, but they also offer the experience of ‘community’ by providing a place for friends to get together and share a tasty meal. 

With so many consumers enjoying food from fast-food venues, think of the impact that could be had if plant-based foods could be perceived as ‘normal’ in these outlets – as just another option on the menu. As something that omnivores, flexitarians, and veggies indulged in, no matter their dietary preference… 

Plant-based food service sales would skyrocket – helping push up overall food service sales, too. The plant-based food and beverage (F&B) space is already seeing great success; worth an estimated USD 40.21 billion in 2021, the market is expected to reach USD 78.95 billion by 2028 with a CAGR of 11.9%.^[1]Vantage Market Research (2022): Plant Based Food Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report Global Industry Assessment (2016 – 2021) & Forecast (2022 – 2028). Available at: … Continue reading

Likewise, the market for plant-based meat alternatives is predicted to double within the next five years, growing from USD 7.9 billion in 2022 to USD 15.7 billion in 2025.^[2]Markets and Markets. (2020). Plant-based Meat Market – Global Forecast to 2027. Available at: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/plant-based-meat-market-44922705.html. Accessed … Continue reading By encouraging a broader audience of consumers to try their plant-based options, fast-food chains can tap into this growing potential for capital. 

Your business can safeguard the environment

But there’s not only profit to be had – with plant-based options perceived as ‘normal’ and more frequently selected by a wider variety of consumers, the environment would also be better off. This would enable fast-food chains to meet their sustainability goals and really make an impact on our Earth-in-crises.

Indeed, compared to ground beef, plant-based burgers reduce environmental impacts across every environmental category. According to studies from Impossible Foods, one plant-based Impossible Burger patty requires 87% less water and 96% less land, and produces 89% fewer greenhouse gas emissions and 92% less aquatic pollutants than a conventional beef burger.^[3] Impossible Burger environmental life cycle assessment, (2019). Available at: https://impossiblefoods.com/sustainable-food/burger-life-cycle-assessment-2019. Accessed 2023-07-03. 

The normalisation of plant-based foods is key

Imagine if chains like McDonald’s or Burger King not only increased their plant-based offerings, but also used their huge advertising and marketing budgets to push the plant-based message… 

The resulting climate impact reductions would be remarkable, and the business gains equally as impressive.

By making plant-based dishes more visible, more attractive, and giving them marketing preference over animal-based offerings, the former would appear as ‘normal’ and more consumers would be inclined to try them (doable even if you don’t have McDonald’s’ marketing budget…).

Resolutely, normalising plant-based dishes in fast-food venues is critical to driving sales and reducing the environmental impacts of animal-agriculture. But how do we do this? 

Tailored plant-based menu strategies!

Read our next article (published on August 21st) for implementable insights for your plant-based menu strategy – and learn how to future-proof your food service business.