KFC Launches Pea-Protein Popcorn Chicken in Australia!
More than 10,000 of you asked, and KFC listened: Vegan KFC chicken has landed in Australia!
The fast-food giant is testing a pea-protein popcorn chicken called Wicked Popcorn in 14 stores on the New South Wales South Coast, including in Albion Park, Batemans Bay, Bega, Bomaderry, Dapto, Fairy Meadow, Mittagong, Nowra, Shellharbour, Ulladulla, Unanderra, Warrawong, and Wollongong.
The good news comes after PETA delivered a petition with 10,000 signatures to KFC, demanding that it add vegan chicken to its menu.
We know that similar launches have not only made headlines around the world but also resulted in long lines of people hungry for change.
The vegan food market is big business – worth an estimated $215 million in Australia and growing. Adding vegan options would mean profits by the bucketful – and would spare the lives of countless chickens.
More than 600,000 chickens are killed for their flesh in Australia every year, and the vast majority of them are raised in filthy, windowless sheds with 40,000 or more other birds.
They’ve been selectively bred and fed to grow at three times their natural rate so that they reach “slaughter weight” when they’re just 6 weeks old. The chickens who die for sandwiches, wings, and nuggets are babies.
Chickens are inquisitive, social animals who enjoy being stroked and cuddled just as much as dogs do. They have impressive memories and are protective of their families – which is why we call nurturing humans “mother hens”!
KFC isn’t labelling its new offering “vegan” since it’s cooked in the same oil as animal products. Of course, we know this won’t be to every vegan’s taste, but we at PETA will be trying some Wicked Popcorn as soon as we can get our hands on it.
By supporting such plant-based options, we can encourage companies to extend their vegan offerings, making compassionate eating more accessible and appealing to new audiences.
And imagine how many more birds’ lives would be spared if this trial went nationwide.
Let’s make 2025 a historic year for animals
