KFC’s China rival Dicos goes green as it uses Li Ka-shing-backed Eat Just’s plant-based substitute for eggs
- Dicos will replace its conventional egg patty with Eat Just’s mung bean-based product in seven dishes
- Dicos, which introduced a plant-based chicken burger last year, will increase its product offerings depending on consumer response
Eat Just, a San Franciscan start-up backed by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, said on Wednesday that one of China’s largest fast food chains will completely replace eggs with its plant-based egg substitute, giving the unicorn further traction on the mainland.
The partnership with Dicos will see the quick service restaurant replace its conventional egg patty with Eat Just’s mung bean-based product in seven dishes – three breakfast burgers, three bagel sandwiches and a Western breakfast plate. Eat Just makes the plant-based substitute under the Just Egg brand, which comes in bottles and looks like beaten fresh eggs.
Just Egg will be available in 500 of Dicos’ outlets in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou, as well as in Liaoning and Shandong provinces. These cities have the highest percentage of consumers open to the idea of eating plant-based products, Tetrick said.
Eat Just believes more consumers will shift to plant-based substitutes after the pandemic is brought under control amid growing awareness about its health benefits due to the lack of cholesterol and its reduced environmental impact.