It seems like the whole world is going vegetarian; whether it’s for health reasons or to save the environment, everyone seems to be hopping on the bandwagon. And when we say everyone, we even mean places that are so linked with fried meats that it seems impossible to think of them any other way — like KFC.
The fast food giant just announced that it’ll be testing out it’s new creation — vegetarian fried chicken at UK KFC’s. Don’t worry though, it’ll still be made with the colonel’s special 11-spice blend, just like the original.
A spokesperson for the company told Foodbeast that “development of the recipe is still in its very early stages, and so the options we’re exploring in our kitchen are still top secret.”
So… we don’t exactly know what the “chicken” will be made from. “Once we’ve perfected the recipe we aim to test with customers this year, and if all goes well, we hope to launch a new vegetarian option in 2019,” they said.
There is one downside though. Even though the vegetarian “chicken” will be available as soon as 2019, it’ll only be in restaurants in the United Kingdom. Looks like all you veggie-meat lovers will have to take a flight in order to try KFC’s newest masterpiece.
But what’s the reason for the new vegetarian chicken? Apparently, UK KFCs have recently started an initiative hoping to cut their calories per serving by 20 percent, following the U.K’s recommendation that people only consume meals that are under 600 calories. In addition to the meatless chicken, KFC will also be offering healthier alternatives to soda and fries. The company knows that people everywhere are becoming more and more health conscious, and CEO Victoria Robertson said their changes are  “about providing choice, and offering delicious, signature KFC taste that just happens to be lighter.”
Although those of us stuck in the US won’t get to try the vegetarian-friendly fried chicken just yet, if it’s successful in the UK, it will most definitely be making its way to the US sometime soon. Vegetarians, rejoice!