CHICAGO – After assessing the acceptance of McDonald’s diners in the United States for a plant-based burger as part of a partnership between with Beyond Meat in 2021 and pulling the plug on test marketing what was known as the McPlant in 2022, McDonald’s Canada announced on March 18 it began testing a new non-meat sandwich, the McVeggie, at select restaurants north of the US border.

“While our guests may have tried similar sandwiches at McDonald’s globally, our McVeggie is uniquely Canadian,” said Jeff Anderson, senior manager of culinary innovation at McDonald’s Canada. “We’re always looking for new opportunities to innovate and build on our menu, and the McVeggie will give even more guests the opportunity to enjoy that delicious McDonald’s flavor Canadians know and love.” 

The new item, which will be available through April 14, includes a patty, made from blending seven different vegetables, that is seasoned, topped with lettuce, mayonnaise-based sauce and is served on a toasted bun.

Vegetables blended in the patty include carrots, zucchini, peas, green beans, corn, broccoli and soybeans. A spicy habanero version of the sandwich is also available that is topped with a habanero cream sauce.

Officials with McDonald’s Canada plan to collect customer feedback during the testing period and if it is decided that it is a success, the plan is to launch the McVeggie nationally in the future at participating restaurants in the Canadian market.

“We know more people in Canada than ever before are looking for new flavors and for variety on our menus. Our goal is to continue to offer new and exciting choices to meet these needs. And the McVeggie does just that,” said Francesca Cardarelli, chief marketing officer at McDonald’s Canada. “As this is our first test of the McVeggie, we’re using this opportunity to gather insights and guests’ feedback so we can continue delivering on our commitment to serving great tasting, quality food we know Canadians will love and enjoy.” 

The McVeggie is being test marketed at select restaurants in: Langley, Richmond and Surrey, British Columbia; Brampton and Windsor, Ontario; and Dieppe, New Brunswick.