Papa John’s UK Launches Vegan Breakfast Pizza with Plant-Based Sausage

Pizza lovers in the UK have a new limited-edition favorite to wake up to: Papa John's is launching a vegan breakfast pizza complete with plant-based sausage, Heinz beans, Bute Island Foods vegan "Sheese", tater tots and portabello mushrooms. This pie, loaded with traditional English breakfast toppings, is temporarily being served from May 21-25 nationwide in honor of the spring bank holiday.

Papa John’s UK Marketing Director Giles Codd explained the company's eagerness to release another limited-edition breakfast pizza this year, saying, “After such great enthusiasm for the Breakfast Pizza over the last bank holiday, we’re excited to bring it back alongside our version made for vegan customers. So, whether you’re into bacon or beans, this is a must-try this bank holiday weekend, especially if you were unable to get your hands on it last time.”

Customers are split on Twitter over the flavor profile of the pie, with some asking the brand straightforwardly, "Who thought this was a good idea?" and others raving about the combination and designating the pizza a 10/10 rating after trying it. If breakfast toppings aren't your thing on a pizza, UK customers can still order seven more different plant-based pies at Papa John's, ranging from plain "Sheese" to jackfruit 'pepperoni' to "the works", which is loaded with vegan sausage and a medley of vegetables.

Papa John's UK has been blazing the way for vegan offerings: In November of 2019 the company announced they had signed on Claire Every, vegan food blogger, as the first brand to designate a Chief Vegan Officer position in their C-Suite. This position has proven to be far from a PR stunt, as Papa John's has carved out a significant portion of their menu for vegan offerings. Earlier in the year, Every spoke to the purpose of her position, saying, "With recipe innovation at the core of the brand, and more people than ever adopting a vegan lifestyle, the latest launches are only just the beginning, with lots more exciting and innovative dishes launching later in the year.”

The breakfast pizza continues as another exciting animal product-free option the pizza giant has rolled out, and although it's only temporarily available, it fuses English tradition and plant-based ingredients in an inventive way that just might have customers calling for it to become a permanent menu item.