Pizza Hut added Beyond Meat sausage to Canadian menus permanently

January 11, 2021: Pizza Hut restaurants in Canada are permanently adding Beyond Meat’s plant-based sausage to their menus starting Monday.

Almost a year ago, the pizza chain’s parent company, Yum Brands, announced an official partnership with Beyond for complete meat substitutes for Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut. Monday marks the official launch of KFC Beyond Fried Chicken in the U.S. Through the partnership, the restaurant giant hopes to attract customers who are eating less Meat but may not want to follow strict vegetarian or vegan diets. At the same time, Beyond is aiming to find new customers for its products.

There are more than 450 Pizza Hut locations in Canada, and it’s the second market to permanently add a Beyond Meat item to menus, following delivery restaurants in the U.K. in July. Last summer, pizza Hut locations in Edmonton and Toronto tested the Beyond Italian Sausage Crumbles. Domestically, Pizza Hut tested plant-based pepperoni in five U.S. cities this summer, but a nationwide launch was not announced.

Beyond used pea protein as its base to mimic the taste and texture of sausage. Canadian customers can add the meatless sausage crumbles for the pizza toppings. A flatbread pizza and an alfredo pasta dish will also incorporate the ingredient.

Beyond’s stock has tumbled 42% over the previous 12 months, dragging its market value down by $4.34 billion. While the KFC launch has encouraged few investors, Wall Street is concerned about the company’s long-term growth prospects and the competitive landscape. Weak results in the quarter damaged confidence in the company, and analysts are more excited about the potential of Beyond’s partnership with McDonald’s.

On the other hand, Yum has seen it’s stock surge up to 26% over the same time. The company has a market value roughly nine times that of Beyond.