Only 5 cities get first taste of Pizza Hut’s new plant-based topping. Columbus is one of them
Columbus is one of a select group of U.S. cities where diners can order Pizza Hut’s new plant-based topping.
The chain announced a partnership with Beyond Meat on Tuesday to bring Beyond Pepperoni, a plant-based version of the popular pizza topping, to 70 stores in five cities nationwide. Columbus and Macon are included in the list, along with Albany, New York; Houston, Texas; and Jacksonville, Florida.
“Pizza Hut’s new Beyond Pepperoni Pizza delivers the same iconic taste as our original pepperoni that fans know and love,” Georgeanne Erickson, Chief Brand Officer of Pizza Hut, said in a news release. “With this new plant-based option, we’re giving customers more choices and more reasons to love Pizza Hut.”
The item is designed to deliver the same experience of traditional pepperoni, with the “added benefits” of plant-based protein, according to the release.
Beyond Pepperoni was co-developed by Beyond Meat and Pizza Hut’s culinary teams. It is made from plant-based ingredients like peas and rice, with no GMOs, soy, gluten, hormones, antibiotics or cholesterol, the chain says.
“We know there is strong consumer demand for pepperoni, and we’re thrilled to unveil a game-changing plant-based pepperoni topping as the next chapter in our innovation-focused partnership with Pizza Hut,” said Dariush Ajami, Chief Innovation Officer at Beyond Meat.
Beyond Pepperoni Pizza is available for a limited time, while supplies last. Beyond Pepperoni is plant-based, but all Pizza Hut pizzas are prepared by team members with the same cooking tools and ovens used to prepare and serve animal meat-based pizzas, according to the release.
Beyond Pepperoni does not contain peanuts or tree nuts. However, it does contain protein from peas, which are legumes.
Columbus-area locations participating
- 1056 Manchester Expressway
- 5751 Milgen Rd.
- 1110 208 Bypass (Phenix City)
- 2319 Lee Rd. (Phenix City
