Following successful trials in Finland, McDonald’s first-ever vegan burger, the McVegan, is becoming a permanent menu item in Finland and Sweden on December 28.

McDonald's hopes its new, soy-based creation will one-up competitors and help attract a wider array of customers.

McVegan's patty has been developed by Anamma, a Swedish food producer that is owned by Norwegian food conglomerate Orkla.

It's too early to say whether the McVegan will be launched in other countries.



The news earlier this autumn that McDonald's was testing a vegan burger in Finland rocked the fast-food landscape. At first, the burger was only sold in the city of Tampere, from Oct. 4 through Nov. 21, and the response was overwhelmingly positive.

Now McDonald’s says in a press release it's rolling out the McVegan nationwide – not just in Finland, but in Sweden as well – on December 28.

“The test in Finland blew all the expectations out of the water,” Staffan Ekstam, McDonald's head of food strategy in Sweden, said.

“We can now offer our guests a vegan burger developed in Sweden. Our ambition is that there should be something on our menu for all of the 400,000 guests who visit us every day," he said.

During development, tasting panels tried out and reviewed over 100 different recipes – with the sole objective of perfecting the first vegan burger for the American fast food giant, which struggles to attract millennials with its standard range of burgers.

McDonald's seeks to attract new tasters with comparatively low prices: SEK 49 ($5,8) for a McVegan menu. McDonald's seeks to attract new tasters with comparatively low prices: SEK 49 ($5,8) for a McVegan menu.

The price for a McVegan menu at 49 Swedish krona is not only less than your average McDonald’s menu but also considerably cheaper than McDonald's Swedish rival Max – which has seen enormous success with its range of vegetarian offerings in recent years.

It's too early to say whether the McVegan will spread beyond the Nordics to European and US franchises. McDonald’s Swedish press officer Henrik Nerell is reluctant to speculate on the subject, saying he can’t predict what local decisions other countries will make.

But if the response to the small-scale Finnish test is anything to go by, then the McVegan could be looking at a warm reception in the rest of the country and in neighboring Sweden.

And if that happens, other franchises around the world may be tempted to go vegan, too.

Read the original article on BI Nordic.