Burger King explores options to bring meat-free offer to UK after ‘impossible' whopper trial

Burger King is considering options to bring its meat-free ‘impossible whopper' to the UK following a successful trial of the vegan option.

The offering was originally launched earlier this week as a trial in St Louis, Missouri. The meatless burger, designed by Californian company Impossible Foods, uses genetically modified yeast to create heme - a molecule strongly present in meat - which is then added to their vegan product to make it more similar to meat.

However, following a successful first phase, the meatless burger is expected to spread across Burger King sites - including the UK where the firm is exploring its options with regards to a similar offering.

A spokesperson from the firm said: "Following the launch of our meat-free whopper trial in the US, we know there is a huge appetite for alternative options to meat here in the UK. We are currently exploring opportunities to bring a meat-free burger to the UK."

Advancements in vegetarian and vegan faux-meats, along with growing concerns regarding the ethical and environmental impact of meat consumption, have led to more large-scale operators bringing vegan elements to their offering. Last year grab and go chain Leon launched its LOVe burger, with a soya beetroot base, while Greggs launched its vegan sausage roll - leading to a sharp increase in sales.