Taco Bell Is Testing Its First-Ever Vegan Menu Item
The certified Vegan Crunchwrap is currently available in three cities.
Courtesy of Taco Bell
Wake up, babe — a new Taco Bell menu item just dropped! This is bigger-than-usual news too, as the California-based chain will now offer a Vegan Crunchwrap, its first fully-vegan entree item. If you’re a fan of the original version — or have always wanted to try one — then this version seems promising, with a combination of Taco Bell’s own proprietary plant-based “beef,” a creamy vegan blanco sauce, and vegan nacho sauce.
In a statement, Taco Bell said that there had been “years of tasting and testing” as it worked to develop its first major vegan entree item. The vegan nacho sauce alone spent a significant time in development, as the chain’s in-house chefs worked to perfect its flavor. “Such a large part of our fandom is vegan or vegetarian, and we're as committed to them as they are to us and our menu,” Liz Matthews, Taco Bell’s Global Chief Food Innovation Officer, said.
“That's why we took so long, months and years, to release something this special; we wanted and needed to get it exactly right, to get it mouth-watering. Because let's admit it, we've all eaten plenty of products on today's market that don’t taste great and certainly aren't craveable.”
The ingredients in the Vegan Crunchwrap, including its crispy tostada shell, have all been certified vegan by the American Vegetarian Association. The chain does note that in some restaurants, the same oil may be used to fry both vegan ingredients and those containing animal products, and that its employees may handle both vegan and animal ingredients, so there could be some cross-contact between the two.
Related: In a World of Fake Meat, Shake Shack's New Veggie Burger Stands Out With Actual Vegetables
Before you make plans to Live Más on your lunch break, as of this writing, the Vegan Crunchwrap is only available for a limited time at a handful of locations in Los Angeles (6741 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028), New York City (976 6th Ave, New York, NY 10018), and Orlando (11893 East Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32826).
The price point for the new item will be the same as the non-vegan Crunchwrap, which may vary depending on the market. The chain adds that this is a trial run, to get customer feedback and “inform future menu developments” — so the Vegan Crunchwrap could have more widespread availability in the future.
“Our fans are always hacking our customizable menu to try new options, especially veggie-forward,” Missy Schaaphok, Taco Bell’s Director of Global Nutrition and Sustainability, said. “So now we’re hacking the hack, if you will, with a product that’s completely vegan as-is, right off the menu. I may be biased, but no veggie burger could compare.”
If you live in L.A., New York, or Orlando, you can test that theory for yourself.
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