KFC Singapore Launches Meat-Free ‘Zero Chicken Burger’ At Over 80 Locations

KFC Singapore has announced that it has debuted its first-ever meat-free alternative product called Zero Chicken Burger. It will be available for consumers at all KFC Singapore restaurants except the outlets at Singapore Polytechnic and Singapore Zoo. 

Claiming to have a similar taste to that of chicken, the poultry-free Zero Chicken Burger showcases a mycoprotein meat-free patty made with Colonel Sanders’ original recipe of 11 herbs and spices. Mycoprotein is a protein derived from fungi popularised by Quorn for its meat-like texture. The burger preparation also includes lettuce and sliced cheese topped with mayonnaise and BBQ sauce making the sesame bun burger unsuitable for vegans.

Alt protein investor Michal Klar shared the news on social media, writing that while KFC Singapore has not divulged their patty partner, “All signs point to Quorn Foods though: the announcement talks about ‘mycoprotein’ and Quorn has previously partnered with KFC in the UK and Netherlands.” Owned by Filipino food company Monde Nissin Corporation, Quorn conducts some of its R&D in Singapore as well.

We see a trend towards flexitarianism and increased demand for meat alternative products, so we wanted to offer a meat-free option but still keeping the same great KFC taste. After months of taste testing, we are so proud to launch the first chicken burger without any chicken

Juliana Lim, Senior Director of Marketing & Food Innovation for KFC Singapore

Speaking about the annoucement, Juliana Lim, Senior Director of Marketing & Food Innovation for KFC Singapore said: “The start of the New Year brings fresh ideas and the new KFC Zero Chicken Burger is no different. We see a trend towards flexitarianism and increased demand for meat alternative products, so we wanted to offer a meat-free option but still keeping the same great KFC taste. After months of taste testing, we are so proud to launch the first chicken burger without any chicken.”

The meat-free burger comes in response to a growing trend among Asian consumers who prefer to consume less meat, while not necessarily eliminating it from their diet completely. Reducing meat from one’s diet helps to reduce one’s carbon footprint as well as improve one’s health.

This growing awareness has given rise to a movement called ‘reducetarianism’, ‘flexitarianism’ or ‘casual vegetarianism’, and most trend forecasters expect more and more consumers, particular younger generations such as millennials and Gen Zs, to adopt this way of eating in droves.

According to Mashable SEA, though the burger is a completely new offering in Singapore, the Zero Chicken Burger is already available for a while now in many other countries like the UK and Ireland.

Previously, in a partnership with Hong Kong’s Green Monday, KFC Hong Kong had added two new meat-free options to its menu that included Alpha Foods’ plant-based nuggets as well as a burger made with a Gardein patty. The nuggets contain soy and wheat protein, while the burger features Gardein’s chicken patty, which contains soy, wheat & pea protein as well as organic grains.

KFC China also partnered with Cargill to roll out plant-based chicken nuggets made by the agribusiness giant and simultaneously announced another partnership with Beyond Meat thus introducing Beyond Burgers in select locations across the country. Over in Russia, the fried chicken QSR is working on 3D printed cell-based nuggets.

Available for only a limited time, the Zero Chicken Burger is priced at SG$6.55 (US$4.94) on its own and SG$8.65 (US$6.52) as part of a combo meal.

Lead image courtesy of KFC Singapore