Just Salad is partnering with Beyond Meat to introduce Beyond Beef Meatballs as a permanent menu item at all US locations beginning September 12, 2019.
As part of its mission to be the “green” standard of sustainability in the restaurant space, Just Salad has eliminated grilled steak from its menu and replaced it with Beyond Meat’s plant-based beef alternative.
“The future of food is plant-based,” says Janani Lee, chief sustainability officer at Just Salad. “We’re thrilled to offer our guests an alternative to beef that’s just as delicious yet significantly more eco-friendly.”
Beef is widely considered one of the least sustainable meat products. According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), beef requires 28 times more land and 11 times more water than pork or chicken. Conversely, the University of Michigan conducted a Life Cycle Analysis that found producing the Beyond Burger requires 99 percent less later, 93 percent less land, nearly 50 percent less energy, and emits 90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than producing a 1⁄4 lb. U.S. beef burger.
Just Salad will feature Beyond Beef Meatballs in its vegetarian Keto Zoodle Bowl, made with zoodles (zucchini noodles), grape tomatoes, roasted balsamic mushrooms, and shaved parmesan. With 16g of plant-based protein per serving of four meatballs, Beyond Beef Meatballs also make a hearty and delicious add-on to any salad or warm bowl.
“We spent a lot of time weighing different plant-based options for our menu, and Beyond simply offers the most versatile and best tasting product out there,” says Janani Lee, chief sustainability officer at Just Salad.
“We applaud forward-thinking partners like Just Salad who recognize the positive environmental impact that can be had when you shift the protein at the center of the plate, or bowl, to plant-based meat. Taking a bold step to replace all their beef options with Beyond Meat showcases the brand’s commitment to bring delicious, on-trend options to their guests,” says Will Schafer, VP of Marketing at Beyond Meat.
Looking to lead the fast casual space in terms of sustainability, Just Salad is excited to replace its current beef offering with plant-based Beyond Meat, offering a new protein option that not only tastes great but is great for the planet. Just Salad is also the home of the reusable bowl, the World’s Largest Restaurant Reusable Program and a recipient of the EPA’s WasteWise award. The company announced its Green Standard sustainability initiative earlier this year, which furthers the brand’s commitment to sustainability through:
- A “zero waste” vision to send zero waste to landfills by 2025
- A commitment to save 100,000 pounds of plastic in 2019—up from 75,000 pounds of plastic—through the brand’s reusable bowl program
- A transition from plastic bowls to biodegradable fiber bowls at all domestic locations in 2019
- The development of a 360-degree composting program in collaboration with Bard MBA NYCLab, a yearlong professional consultancy by Bard students receiving an MBA in Sustainability
