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Burger King opens its first meat-free restaurant in Germany

6 min read

Inspiring People
Burger King opens its first meat-free restaurant in Germany
Source: LinkedIn - Michael Kneifel

The fast food giant opened its first completely meat-free restaurant in Cologne this week — for a limited time only.

Fast food giant Burger King opened its first completely meat-free restaurant in Germany

On Monday, Burger King is opened its first vegan-friendly meat-free restaurant in Cologne, Germany. The fast-food giant’s new plant-based venue is set to open its doors for just four days from 7 June – 11 June. The chain has again teamed up with vegetarian meat company The Vegetarian Butchers to create its meat-free menu. The plant-based menu will include vegan versions of signature Burger King options such as the Plant-Based Whopper, Plant-Based Nuggets, and even a new Plant-Based Whopper Wrap.

They want to encourage flexitarians, and meat-eaters to their new menu, promising “everyone gets their money’s worth with our exclusive plant-based”.
The Burger King Germany website explains the new plant-based menu isn’t just for vegans. They want to encourage flexitarians, and meat-eaters to their new menu, promising “everyone gets their money’s worth with our exclusive plant-based”. Source: Facebook/BurgerKingDeutschland

Burger King partnered with The Vegetarian Butcher

Meat alternative producers The Vegetarian Butchers have been working with Burger King in recent years to develop and expand the chain’s plant-based menu. The collaboration has meant Burger King venues across the world, in countries such as Mexico, China, Germany, and the UK are now able to offer plant-based alternatives to their customers.

The Burger King Germany website explains the new plant-based menu isn’t just for vegans. They encourage flexitarians and meat-eaters to try their new menu, promising “everyone gets their money’s worth with our exclusive plant-based”.

Although Burger King is going plant-based with its burgers, it is unknown whether BK intend to release dairy-free cheese and condiments in the near future.

Source: VeganFoodAndLiving

“Whether vegetarians, flexitarians or meat lovers - with our exclusive plant-based products everyone gets their money's worth,” — says promotion for the event on the company website. The event is taking place in Schildergasse, Cologne, from June 7–11.
Burger King Plant-based Week “Whether vegetarians, flexitarians or meat lovers – with our exclusive plant-based products everyone gets their money’s worth,” — says promotion for the event on the company website. The event is taking place in Schildergasse, Cologne, from June 7–11. Source: LinkedIn/MichaelKneifel

Burger King selling less beef!

Lately, Burger King has become dedicated to creating vegan-friendly alternatives and says it is on a mission to create a green future.

The latest move came from Burger King UK after it released its first vegan-certified Vegan Royale. In addition, BK has pledged to reduce waste by recycling 100% of its packaging in all stores by 2025, become energy efficient, and also reduce plastic use. The biggest pledge of course is Burger King plan to be 50% plant-based by 2031.

BK CEO Alasdair Murdoch explained: “Are there going to be less meat products? Ultimately, you would say yes. Over time the amount of beef that we are selling as a proportion of our total sales is reducing”.

VeganFoodAndLiving say it is encouraging to see beef-based producers acknowledging the shift in demand and understanding beef is not the future. We look forward to seeing more big-name brands adapt to a plant-based way of life.

Source: VeganFoodAndLiving

Burger King is now offering a meat-free branch at Schildergasse 114 in Cologne from June 7 to June 11, according to the fast-food chain. It is the first in the world.
Meatless diets have long been in vogue, and demand for meat substitutes is on the rise. Burger King is now offering a meat-free branch at Schildergasse 114 in Cologne from June 7 to June 11, according to the fast-food chain. It is the first in the world. Source: LinkedIn/MichaelKneifel

The vegetarian butcher is on a mission to free animals from the food chain

A statement from the Vegetarian Butcher (Dutch company acquired one year ago or so by Unilever) reads: "Our mission is to free the animal from the food chain, so of course we’re working towards Burger King restaurants that are fully plant-based for an unlimited time 🙏 In our opinion, opening a Plant-based Burger King restaurant will accelerate our mission. Because for now, we can meatmerize lots of meat lovers in Cologne and show them they don’t have to sacrifice a thing for the iconic Burger King experience. Besides: most of the Plant-based options will stay on the menu after June 11, hoping meat lovers will choose the plant-based menu when returning to Burger King!"

Regular Burger King stores already offer meat-free products, such as the plant-based Whopper. According to the company, demand has been strong, with one in five Whoppers sold being a plant-based one.
The reaction from the public has been positive, and the Cologne restaurant is full of customers. Regular Burger King stores already offer meat-free products, such as the plant-based Whopper. According to the company, demand has been strong, with one in five Whoppers sold being a plant-based one. Source: LinkedIn/MichaelKneifel

A plant-based diet benefits not only humans but the Earth, too

A diet heavy on whole grains and plants doesn’t only benefit human health, it also benefits the planet too, according to a report by a commission of dozens of experts from 16 countries.

The report, published in The Lancet, attempted to determine the optimal diet for both humans and the earth, and found that if people around the globe followed a plant-based diet, it would save over 10 million lives — preventing 20% of adult deaths per year.

With Americans consuming 26.5 billion pounds of beef in 2017, several reports have tried to apply these same variables to estimate the environmental impact of a quarter-pound hamburger. One report, using numbers from a study on the environmental impact of beef production, estimated that one burger required 14.6 gallons of water, 13.5 pounds of feed, and 64.5 square feet of land to produce. 

Additionally, they led 0.13 pounds of methane and 4 pounds of carbon dioxide to be released into the environment. The Environmental Working Group estimated that the carbon footprint of broccoli is nearly 13 times less than beef, and a clinical trial showed that eating it may even help to rid your body of cancer-associated pollutants. 

Source: ABC-News

The collaboration has meant that Burger King venues across the world such as Mexico, China, Germany, and the UK are now able to offer plant-based alternatives to their customers.
Meat alternative producers The Vegetarian Butchers have been working with Burger King over the years to develop and expand the chain’s plant-based menu. The collaboration has meant that Burger King venues across the world such as Mexico, China, Germany, and the UK are now able to offer plant-based alternatives to their customers. Source: LinkedIn/MichaelKneifel
Seperately, coupons for free plant-based products are available in participating Burger King stores throughout Germany during the same period via the MyBK app. “We are showing what variety is possible on a plant basis in the world’s first plant-based Burger King restaurant,” says Klaus Schmäing, director of marketing at Burger King Deutschland GmbH. For full details of the Cologne event (in German) click “Source”? Source: BurgerKing.de
Burger King says it is collaborating with
The Vegetarian Butcher is all about replicating that moreish taste and texture you get from meat, whilst being better for the planet and kinder to animals. Burger King says it is collaborating with “The Vegetarian Butcher” for its vegetarian offers. Together, the two companies will introduce plant-based alternatives to the usual nuggets and burgers at the new branch in Cologne – so the usual hamburgers and cheeseburgers will also be topped with plant-based patties. Guests will also be able to try a vegan mayonnaise. The new products will be soy-based. Source: TheVegetarianButcher.co.uk
The world's first plant-based Burger King restaurant! We are ready for the Burger King Plant-based Week in Schildergasse in Cologne. Who will come by tomorrow? There is of course a surprise for all non-Cologne residents. The Vegetarian Butcher - Deutschland #burgerkingdeutschland #thevegetarianbutcher #plantbased #bkplantbased #neuesfleisch #butcherofthefuture #veggie Source: Facebook/BurgerKingDeutschland
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