World-First: Burger King To Open Meat-Free Outlet In Germany’s Cologne This Summer

Fast food giant Burger King is set to open the world’s first meatless burger king outlet in Germany, which will offer plant-based meats created by Unilever-owned The Vegetarian Butcher.

The first completely meatless Burger King location is set to open this summer in Cologne, Germany for a limited time, and will offer products by the plant-based meat brand The Vegetarian Butcher.

From June 7 until June 11, the meatless location will offer plant-based nuggets that contain soy protein, cornflakes, oat fibre, natural flavourings and added vitamin B12, as well as plant-based burgers. During the time period, the location will even debut Burger King’s latest item – a plant-based version of The Long Chicken, known in other countries as Chicken Royale, that is a plant-based chicken sandwich accompanied with vegan mayonnaise on a long sesame seed bun.

To promote its new location, Burger King will be conducting an event at the new restaurant with heads of Burger King Germany like managing director, Cornelius Everke; marketing director, Klaus Schmäing; and senior manager product Development & innovation, Tim Lenke. Apart from these attendees, Vice President Foods DACH, Jochanan Senf; and Vice President of Unilever Food Solutions & Langnese at Unilever Deutschland GmbH, Harm van Tongeren will be present.

During this campaign period, consumers stand a chance to win free plant-based products in participating restaurants throughput the country via coupons available on the Burger King app.

Though Burger King will not serve meat to its customers at the Cologne branch, there is no confirmation about whether the menu will exclude other animal products like dairy.

Back in September of last year, Burger King Germany and The Vegetarian Butcher collaborated together for the first time to add plant-based chicken nuggets to the fast food giant’s outlet locations across the country.

According to recent data, over 2020, Germany decreased its animal meat production by 4% whereas the value and manufacturing of the plant-based segment soared to double-digits. Another study showed that for the first time a majority of people in Germany are reducing their meat consumption with only 45% of German respondents identifying as full meat-eaters, and 31% actively experimenting with flexitarian or meat-reducing diets.

Since then, Burger King and the alt meat brand have worked together in the U.K. to introduce a chicken-free Vegan Royale burger and bring back a plant-based version of the Rebel Whopper across the country, and the UK CEO committed to a 50% plant-based menu by 2031. Across Asia, Burger King is making strides too: the chain unveiled a meatless patty in Indonesia with plans to expand this offering across 175 outlets in the nation, not to mention launching plant-based patties in Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Japan and the Philippines.

Read more about Burger King and all its plant-based related news here.

Lead image courtesy of Joy Della Vita.