(Updated November 14, 2019). Tim Hortons, Canada’s largest quick-service restaurant chain, is trialing a vegan omelet sandwich option in select locations. It features the mung bean egg patty made by the San Francisco-based food tech company, JUST. The launch helped JUST sell its 10 millionth vegan egg.
“The consumer demand for 100% plant-based proteins is strong and continues to grow,” Josh Tetrick, JUST’s founder and CEO said in an email. “Canada is one of the most requested markets for JUST and we’re excited to be able to offer our product at select Tim Hortons locations for this market test.”
The vegan omelet sandwich has been spotted in Tim Hortons restaurants in Richmond, Vaughan, and Toronto. A spokesperson for the restaurant chain said in a statement, “Tim Hortons is always listening to our guests and continues to test a wide variety of potential products in select restaurants across the country.”
The foodservice patty is made from the same ingredients as the company’s liquid vegan egg that scrambles and performs just like other liquid eggs.
JUST employs a proprietary technology to identify unique plant properties. The company discovered that mung beans, a staple in Indian cuisine, can perform the same as chicken eggs when scrambled. But unlike chicken eggs, which contain nearly 400 milligrams of cholesterol, the vegan mung egg is cholesterol-free.
It has quickly become a best-seller across the country, owning 40 percent of all-natural category liquid egg sales. Warehouse club Costco now also sells the vegan egg in bulk packs.
But it’s the success at Horton’s that really impresses Tetrick. “The most compelling is that we believe this is one of the few examples (ever) of plant outperforming animal in national distribution,” he said.
“We believe a just food system starts with breakfast,” Tetrick says. “The performance of JUST Egg is another step toward building a smarter, healthier and more sustainable way of eating.”
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Tim Hortons Vegan Options
For consumers who like to pair their vegan eggs with vegan sausages, Tim Hortons offers up both options now.
In May, Tim Hortons added vegan breakfast sausage to its menus. The company trialed the Beyond Meat Breakfast Sausage Patties at 60 Toronto locations before expanding the offering. After its success, the chain added three vegetarian breakfast options including the Beyond Meat Breakfast Sandwich, Beyond Meat Farmers Wrap, and the Beyond Meat Vegan Sandwich.
“I think we’re going to be one of the most affordable products on the market,” Mike Hancock, Tim Hortons chief operating officer, told the Financial Post last May.
“We’re going to be able to bring this type of product to more guests than even our competitors are,” Hancock continued. “…There are folks who want these kinds of alternative protein … but don’t currently necessarily have access to it.”
The chain also recently added the vegan Beyond Burger to its menu.
Two new sandwiches, an original Beyond Burger and a BBQ option, launched earlier this month.
Tim Hortons operates nearly 5,000 restaurants in 14 countries.
