Starbucks Corp has said that its Canadian stores will start selling a Beyond Meat Inc plant-based breakfast sandwich next week, the first time the world's biggest coffee chain will offer an imitation meat product.
The Seattle-based company said that its Beyond Meat sandwich, which will be topped with cheddar cheese and egg on an artisanal bun, will be available at its nearly 1,200 coffee shops across Canada from March 3.
The deal intensifies the already heated rivalry between Beyond Meat and other plant-based meat producers, including Impossible Foods, Kellogg Co's Morningstar Farms, Cargill Inc and Nestle SA's Sweet Earth, which have been vying for shelf space at retailers and for deals with food service outlets.
In November, all-day breakfast provider Dunkin' Brands Group Inc expanded its Beyond Sausage Sandwich to all its US stores.
McDonald's Corp is testing its plant-based "PLT" burger, using Beyond Meat patties, in Ontario.
The Starbucks deal also comes as restaurants vie for a share of the expanding morning food business, with burger chain Wendy's Co shaking up the status quo by officially launching into the US breakfast market on March 2.
The effort by Wendy's could strip some customers away from restaurant chains already prominent in the morning, including Starbucks, McDonald's and Dunkin'.
Working To Build Out Its Food Business
Starbucks has been working to build out its food business, which currently makes up at least 20% of revenue at company-operated stores, and to increase its plant-based offerings for more environmentally sustainable operations.
While it has long sold meatless menu items, this will be the first time that it will sell any faux meat patty made with plants instead of animal protein in any market.
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