Taco Bell on Wednesday said it will start testing a vegan version of its popular Crunchwrap products, giving the Mexican fast-food chain a potentially key product as it continues to court customers who want meatless options.
The Vegan Crunchwrap will go on sale Thursday in three cities it says has high vegan populations: New York, Los Angeles and Orlando. The test will take place for a limited time.
The company has been working on the product for years. The crunchwrap features a vegan seasoned beef with a plant-based protein the company has been developing inside its test kitchen. It also has vegan versions of Blanco and nacho sauces that have also been in development.
“Such a large part of our fandom is vegan or vegetarian, and we’re as committed to them as they are to us and our menu,” Liz Matthews, global chief food innovation officer for the Irvine, Calif.-based chain.
Indeed, few major fast-food chains court vegetarians as deliberately as does Taco Bell. Nearly a quarter of the products it sold last year were vegetarian and the company has more than 30 vegetarian ingredients on its menu.
The company said all the ingredients are certified vegan by the American Vegetarian Association.
The company said that it would price this product the same as it does a traditional Crunchwrap during its test, though prices vary by local market. The company said it would use the test to gauge customer feedback and “inform future menu developments.”
The company also said the ingredients developed for the product could be used for other items on its menu. “Our fans are always hacking our customizable menu to try new options, especially veggie-forward,” Missy Schaaphok, director of global nutrition and sustainability at Taco Bell, said in a statement.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.