Taco Bell is testing its own meat alternative

Taco Bell started testing its own meat alternative for its vegetarian customer giving another reason for customers to come back to its restaurants. It expands Plant-Based Innovation with New Taco.The food chain has been hesitant to add plant-based meat to its menu, citing the array of vegetarian options, like potatoes and beans, that are already available as substitutes. In January, it changed course, announcing that it would test a Beyond Meat alternative this year.

Customers will be able to try Taco Bell own plant-based option, made in the chain’s test kitchen. Cravetarian Taco is a vegetarian version of the Crunchy Taco Supreme, features a meat substitute made from a blend of peas and chickpeas. The taco also comes with shredded cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream in a crunchy shell.

The Cravetarian Taco is available only at one Taco Bell location in Tustin, California. The chain plans to test the item until April 29. Customers can also swap the meat alternative into other menu items, like burritos or chalupas, for no extra cost.

Shares of Yum, which also owns KFC and Pizza Hut, have risen 44% over the last year, giving the company a market value of $35.1 billion. Yum is expected to report its first-quarter earnings on April 28. The Mexican-inspired chain has largely bounced back from the coronavirus pandemic, but it’s still missing out on late-night and morning sales due to the consumers staying home.