International fast-food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has introduced Oatly vegan ice cream to its menus throughout China. The brand will now be offering these plant-based ice cream alternatives in two flavors: Strawberry and Chocolate.
Considering KFC is a major fast-food chain known worldwide for its fried chicken, the addition of vegan-friendly desserts to its menus may seem a tad peculiar. That being said, the brand is simply keeping up with the competition, as the food industry continues to undergo a kind of plant-based revolution. Moreover, in partnering with Oatly, KFC China is capitalizing on the rising popularity of oat-milk specifically and aligning themselves with a trendy new brand.
Oatly began selling pints of vegan ice cream in 2019, which were so popular the company decided to make a move into soft serve -- the ice cream of choice for KFC China.
Image Credit: KFC
What's Driving This Trend
- Plant-based Desserts
- There is a growing demand for plant-based desserts as more consumers adopt a vegan lifestyle, creating a disruptive innovation opportunity for the food industry to create innovative plant-based desserts.
- Oat Milk
- The popularity of oat milk is growing, which presents an opportunity for the beverage industry to create new oat milk-based products.
- Soft Serve Ice Cream
- The introduction of oat milk-based soft serve ice cream is a new trend that is disrupting the traditional dairy-based ice cream industry, creating an opportunity for dairy-free alternatives.
Who This Affects Most
- Fast Food
- As fast food chains expand their menus to include plant-based options, there is a disruptive innovation opportunity for the industry to create new vegan menu items.
- Dairy-free Products
- The rising popularity of oat-based products such as Oatly's vegan ice cream and milk presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for dairy-free product manufacturers to create oat milk-based products.
- Ice Cream
- The introduction of dairy-free alternatives to traditional ice cream is disrupting the industry and creating an opportunity for manufacturers to create innovative plant-based alternatives.
