A McDonald’s test of its artificial burger in San Francisco and Dallas “as not successful in either of the two markets,” said Joe Erlinger, head of the chain in the USA, on Wednesday.
“American consumers are not seeking ‘McPlant’ or other plant-based proteins from McDonald’s,” Erlinger stated at the Wall Street Journal’s Global Food Forum in Chicago.
Shares of Beyond Meat, which collaborated with McDonald’s for the production of the McPlant burger, fell as much as 5.1% on Wednesday following Erlinger’s comments, according to Bloomberg.
In contrast, McDonald’s is investing in chicken products, as consumers lean towards protein from poultry. “The company sells more chicken than beef these days,” he added.
“Some of these consumer behaviors are due to the more affordable price,” he said. “Chicken is less expensive to produce, so for a consumer looking for more affordable food, chicken is an excellent choice right now.”