Burger King launches vegan cheese and bacon across the UK

Here’s one for all the plant-based and flexitarian Twisted readers, looking to cut down on meat in Veganuary and beyond.

Burger King has announced it is launching plant-based bacon and cheese across all of its UK branches, which customers will be able to add to any plant-based menu item of their choice.

From today (Wednesday January 4th), shoppers will be able to bag pork-free bacon rashers from the brand La Vie, and melty non-dairy Violife cheese in all 510 of Burger King’s UK locations.

READ MORE: Burger King answers your questions about its new Vegan Royale and plant-based whopper

Each branch will also be stocking multiple meatless burgers. The first is the Vegan Royale Bakon King, which features a crispy plant-based chicken patty, vegan cheese, egg-free mayo and ketchup – this burger is also certified by the vegan society.

Burger King is bringing vegan bacon and cheese to the masses Credit: La Vie

The Plant-Based Bakon King is the second option, available either as a single or double, and packed with the same vegan cheese, mayo, and ketchup as well as a flame-grilled Plant-Based Whopper patties. It’s worth noting the Whoppers are cooked in the same broiler as the meat options, whilst the Royale burgers aren’t.

READ MORE: Is the Rebel Whopper vegan? 8 surprising facts about Burger King’s Whopper

Those who don’t want to go plant-based can also enjoy a meaty Chicken Royale Bacon King or a Bacon King (Single or Double) with standard patties.

The best part about the new offering is the fact that all of the meat-free options will be available as add ons, so customers can ‘’Have it Their Way’’ and personalise any plant-based burger they desire.

The burgers are supplied by The Vegetarian Butcher and are already a hit with customers.

Burger King’s plant based offering is popular already (Credit: Burger King)

The news of the new range has caused much excitement online, particularly from the plant-based community who have been eager to try more of Burger King’s menu for themselves.

When the La Vie teased the news in December, one person wrote: “Oh my. I’m excited.”

Whilst another wrote: “So cool to see mainstream chains adding plant-based options that are as complex and delicious as the meat-based ones! A step towards a kinder future.”

Chief Marketing Officer at La Vie, Romain Jolivet told Vegan Food and Living: “We are very proud to be partnering with Burger King, bringing our multi-award-winning, plant-based bacon, La Vie to their restaurants.

“This will allow us to accelerate the pace of switching from animal-based meat to plant-based, which is a climate emergency we are all facing.

Burger King has pledged to increase its vegan offering (Credit: Alamy)

“Thanks to the open-mindedness and leadership of Burger King, proactively moving towards more plant-based options, millions of consumers will be able to try our next generation of plant-based bacon.

“With only 7 ingredients and a product packed with proteins AND fibres, this is a bakon for the kings, not for the clowns.”

The move comes as Burger King recently launched plant based meat buns over in Japan and specially formulated vegan chicken in Chile, and even vowed to make plant-based the default ‘normal’ option in Austria.

It has also opened several fully plant-based restaurants on a limited basis, including one in London and one in Bristol. This is part of a pledge to ensure 50 per cent of its menu is plant-based by 2030.