Vegan woman 'heartbroken' after finding chicken in plant-based KFC burger

‘I went to brush my teeth after,’ says Nic Kent

Olivia Petter
Wednesday 15 January 2020 12:14 GMT
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KFC got in on the vegan market with its zero-chicken burger
KFC got in on the vegan market with its zero-chicken burger

A vegan woman in Nottingham was left “heartbroken” and “disappointed” after she took a bite from a plant-based KFC burger only to find that it was chicken.

Nic Kent, who has followed a vegan diet for five years, bought the Zero Chicken Burger in KFC’s Clifton restaurant.

The burger was launched in KFC restaurants nationwide on 2 January and is modelled on a traditional Chicken Fillet Burger, only the mayonnaise is replaced with a vegan alternative and the chicken is traded for a bespoke Quorn fillet. At least, it’s supposed to be.

Kent ordered the new meat-free burger on 5 January. The dish came in a Zero Chicken Burger box, but when she arrived home and took a bite, Kent realised the burger contained chicken and cheese.

“I felt sick,” Kent told Nottinghamshire Live. “I was heartbroken. It has been a long time since I first became a vegan. I went to brush my teeth after.”

“I’ve been vegan for five years so I known damn well that was not any plant-based stuff,” Kent added. “I could feel all the skin going down my throat.”

Kent said that her sister checked the burger for her and confirmed that it did in fact contain both chicken and cheese.

“I’m not a militant vegan but I was so grateful that KFC was trying to do something, a place that me and my family could go,” Kent continued.

“I just feel disappointed. KFC do not care about vegans or about animal welfare, it’s just about money.”

A KFC spokesperson apologised on behalf of the chain. “We’re really sorry for what happened with Nic’s order – we got it wrong on this occasion,” they said.

“We offered a full refund straight away and a replacement Vegan Burger, but we realise it’s super important we don’t slip up – particularly when it comes to allergens. We’ve followed up with our teams to remind them of the importance of getting the right order to the right customer – and we’ll keep doing everything we can to prevent this happening again.”

On 14 January, the British grime MC JME claimed he had ordered a vegan chicken burger to find that it contained real chicken. He did not specify from where he purchased the product, though it appeared to be from a fast food chain.

“This is a chewed up and spat out chicken burger,” he tweeted.

“I ordered a vegan burger, the box had the vegan tab on it. I only noticed as I’ve had the burger before and clocked the texture. Just check your food, to err is human.”

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