Smashburger, the better-burger fast casual restaurant with 235 corporate and franchise locations, has partnered with jack and annie’s to launch a new plant-based burger made from jackfruit in all locations across the U.S. starting today.

While the union of the two Colorado-based companies is solidified poignantly on Valentine’s Day, the relationship began with a limited time menu test conducted last summer within select Smashburger locations in Colorado, New York, New Jersey, and Chicago. Following the menu test’s success and positive feedback from consumers, the growing burger chain decided to make the plant-based burger a permanent menu item across all locations.

“Plant-based alternatives have continued to show up on menus throughout the industry, so making sure we offer more diverse and plant-forward options was the natural transition to expand our menu,” says Smashburger Chief Restaurant Support Officer, Eric Marcoux. “Once we connected with jack & annie’s, we knew it was the right fit with our mutual Colorado ties and shared food philosophy rooted in offering delicious, crave-worthy food made with high-quality ingredients.”

The new menu addition will include American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, Smash Sauce, and ketchup on a toasted bun. The plant-based jack & annie’s patty has 47% less fat than that of a traditional beef burger patty and can be substituted in any of Smashburger’s Signature Burgers, single or double, to give customers more plant-based options to choose from.

Sold in both retail and foodservice locations, jack & annie’s products are available in more than 5,000 stores across the country. In cementing this partnership with Smashburger nationwide, this signifies the first-time jack & annie’s is available at a fast casual restaurant and jack & annie’s/The Jackfruit Company (2 brands, 1 company) is poised to make 2024 a significant and strategic year of growth, efficiently closing in on profitability.

“This launch with Smashburger marks an incredible milestone for the team and signals a new chapter of growth for jack & annie’s,” says Annie Ryu, Founder and CEO of jack & annie’s. “We’re excited that consumers across the nation will get to taste what we have known all along: our jackfruit offerings make for delicious and simple plant-based, plant-forward food with naturally meaty taste and texture. We are thrilled to move the plant-based category forward. Because with jackfruit, we’ve found a path for consumers that is sustainable, healthier, and provides the tasty experience they are looking for.”