Largest U.S. Bagel Chain, Einstein Bros., Tests Beyond Meat Breakfast Sandwich

While it seems like every week a new fast food joint or restaurant is adding a Beyond Meat-based food offering, breakfast-staple bagel companies have remained largely silent—until now. Einstein Bros. Bagels, the largest bagel retail company in America with more than 700 locations, is partnering with plant-based meat leader Beyond Meat to trial a Beyond Breakfast Sausage at three Denver-area locations. Starting July 16, Einstein will test its new plant-based Beyond Sausage Spicy Sunrise egg sandwich.

The new spicy breakfast sandwich features a 100% plant-based Beyond Breakfast Sausage patty on a fresh-baked Green Chile Gourmet Bagel with cage-free eggs, avocado, melty cheddar cheese, and Jalapeno Salsa shmear. For a vegan-friendly option, you can add Beyond Breakfast Sausage onto any Einstein Bros. Bagels sandwiches, like the Avocado Veg Out sandwich for $0.60.

“We wanted to create a menu item that will make your mouth water, so we turned up the heat,” said Chef Chad Thompson, Head of Culinary Innovation at Einstein Bros. Bagels in a company announcement. “We think customers will agree that the Beyond Sausage Spicy Sunrise isn’t your average plant-based sandwich.“

Customers at the testing Denver-area locations will also have the limited-time option to substitute Beyond Breakfast Sausage on any Einstein Bros. Bagels sandwiches, giving people even more plant-based options and flexibility to customize to their liking and dietary needs. Beyond Breakfast Sausage is made with a pea protein base, brown rice and free from GMOs, soy, gluten or artificially produced ingredients. By making meat-like protein from plants, Beyond Meat continues to positively impact issues related to health, climate change, natural resource conservation and animal welfare.

“As consumer interest around plant-based meat continues to grow, we’re thrilled to team up with Einstein Bros. Bagels to test our Beyond Breakfast Sausage in the Denver area,” said Stuart Kronauge, Chief Marketing Officer, Beyond Meat. “At Beyond Meat, we’re on a mission to make delicious, nutritious and sustainable plant-based meat accessible to all, and partnerships with innovative brands like Einstein Bros. Bagels are an important part of that journey.”

The Beyond Breakfast Sausage test will take place at three Denver-area Einstein Bros. Bagels locations for a limited time:

Einstein Bros. has locations in over 40 states. A successful test could mean a nationwide rollout with Beyond-based vegetarian and vegan options at locations across the country. Einstein Bros. is also owned by Coffee & Bagel Brands which has a number of recognizable coffee and bagel brands in its portfolio including Noah’s Bagels and Manhattan Bagels.

Beyond Meat’s portfolio of plant-based protein offerings from foodservice outlets continues to grow. The company says that as of March 2020 it’s in approximately 94,000 retail and foodservice outlets spanning 75 countries.