McDonald's taps into "Mindful Impact" with their launch of the Big Vegan TS in Germany

The consumer shift "Mindful Impact" describes the ways in which socially conscious brands are responding to consumers’ increased awareness and sensitivity to global issues.

Millions are engaging in searches and social media conversations about choosing lower-impact products. This growth in awareness of the impact of consumption on the environment, dwindling resources, and the need for a more holistic approach to personal well-being are at the heart of Mindful Impact.

On Google there has been a 8X rise in searches for “plant-based diets” over the last two years and a 2X global increase in curiosity around “meatless” in the last year alone.

The consumer shift is backed up by Mintel’s findings that 24% of urban Indonesian consumers are planning to follow a plant-based or vegetarian diet and a third of Australians—the second largest consumers of meat globally—are avoiding or planning to avoid red meat (More in the report on Think With Google).

Now McDonald's have gone all in on this consumer shift adding a vegan burger, the Big Vegan TS, in Germany, one of its five leading international markets. Nestle is making the meatless patty for McDonald's, which first started selling the burger late last month.

As we predicted in our report it didn’t seem too far-fetched to see quick-service restaurant chains launch completely vegan menus featuring faux meat and cheese.

However when McDonald’s launched its salad options in the early 2000s, critics weren’t impressed. But the burger chain has been slowly adding meatless options to its menu. Two years ago, the company announced the launch of a McVegan burger, made with a soy patty, in Finland and Sweden. McDonald's partnered with a specialty Norwegian food company called Orkla on that earlier product. Now it's coming to their biggest markets...

What do you think, is plant-based products the future for QSR or just the latest fad?