Taco Bell
This new plant-based protein as released by Taco Bell will be featured in a food item known as the Crispy Melt Taco, which is a fried white corn shell tortilla topped with several layers of shredded cheddar, mozzarella, and Monterey pepper jack cheese, added in with nacho cheese sauce.
The customer will then have the option of choosing a protein to go along with it, which comes in the form of a pea or soy protein blend. "The taco is topped with crispy lettuce, even more cheddar cheese, juicy diced tomatoes and reduced-fat sour cream," Taco Bell wrote on its website. Customers will also be presented with the choice of having seasoned beef on their tacos, but no matter which protein that they choose, the taco will come at a cost of $2.49.
Throughout this test trial run, the plant-based protein will be accessible on Nachos BellGrande, and can be ordered or added with any other menu item. According to a representative from Taco Bell, this new meat substitute is a much more enhanced edition of the one that was tested out in the Cravetarian taco.
Taco Bell is expected to launch a Beyond Meat item on its menu by the end of 2022.
Despite the fact that Taco Bell has always been favored by vegans and vegetarians alike, Taco Bell has taken quite some time to truly implement and test out plant-based meat substitutes, settling only for ones like potatoes and beans prior to 2022. But ever since the pandemic hit and significant items were taken away from Taco Bell's menu, vegetarian customers became upset, which compelled Taco Bell to please them by introducing plant-based meat substitutes.
Though it is unclear as to whether the plant-based meat substitutes will succeed in the future, they will give vegetarians and vegans cause to invest in the fast food chain in ways that they might not have before. While there is only a trial run of the meat substitutes at this time, it will likely be introduced in the future as a permanent menu item if proven to be successful.
