KFC's Plant Chicken Looks, Tastes Like The Real Thing, Says Toronto Star

Yum! Brands, Inc.'s YUM KFC brand is working on a plant-based fried chicken option in Canada, according to the Toronto Star.

KFC Says Seasoning The Biggest Challenge 

Toronto Star's Karon Liu and other journalists spoke with KFC's food innovation and technology manager Armando Carrilo at the company's headquarters.

The new plant-based chicken alternative product is the end result of several months of testing, Carrilo said.

Getting the amount of seasoning right was the biggest challenge, and after 20 versions, the company was ready to trial its product, he said.

KFC held a one-day test run last Wednesday and served 1,000 sandwiches and 750 servings of another plant-based popcorn chicken product.

KFC Popcorn Chicken Close To The Real Thing

The plant-based products look similar to a real chicken product, with the "unmistakable smell" of KFC's spice rub, according to the Star.

The plant-based sandwich tasted close to a real chicken sandwich, but the plant-based popcorn chicken tasted even closer to the real thing, the newspaper said.

The item comes amid the craze for Beyond Meat BYND this year.

KFC Mulls Meatless Menu 

KFC Canada is exploring a roll out of its meatless menu next spring, but any new product that resembles a drumstick or chicken wing isn't part of the company's plans.

"We pride ourselves in the real thing and the quality of our chicken," KFC Canada chief marketing officer Sam Redman told the Star.

"As tempting as it sounds, I don't think we'll want to mimic chicken on the bone."

Yum shares were trading down slightly at $100.60 at the time of publication Friday. 

Related Links:

Amid Plant-Based Meat Craze, KFC Might Explore Alternatives To Chicken

Another Company Joins The Plant-Based Food Race: Campbell Soup

Photo courtesy of KFC.