A&W introduces Beyond Meat vegetarian burgers across Canada

VANCOUVER – Canadians can sample the Beyond Meat veggie burger made to look and taste like beef at A&W restaurants starting today.

The burger chain partnered with California-based Beyond Meat to create a plant-based burger that it is now serving at its more than 925 restaurants across Canada.

The company, whose investors include Bill Gates and Leonardo DiCaprio, makes its Beyond Meat burger with beets to mimic beef's red colouring, and coconut oil and potato starch to give it a similar juiciness and chew.

A&W says it is the first national burger chain to bring the plant-based burger to Canadian customers and Beyond Meat's largest restaurant partner.

Beyond Meat sells its plant-based burgers, sausages, and chicken strips at thousands of American retailers and the company says its products are served at over 11,000 restaurants and other food service outlets mostly in the U.S.