EASTPOINTE, Mich. (WWJ) -- A metro Detroit chain known for its famous all-natural chicken wings is taking a step into the plant-based meat market.
Detroit Wing Co. announced Thursday it is partnering with Beyond Meat, a leader in plant-based meats, to introduce Beyond Chicken Tenders -- a plant-based protein option to complement the company’s traditional chicken tenders.
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They’re called “Pretendies,” which are now available at 10 participating Detroit Wing Co. restaurants throughout the state.
The Pretendies are “crafted to look and taste just like DWC’s original animal-based chicken tenders, and are made from simple, plant-based ingredients without GMOs, antibiotics, hormones or cholesterol,” DWC says in a press release. They also have 14 grams of plant-based protein per serving.
“It’s pretty incredible what they’re able to do,” DWC owner and founder Gus Malliaras told WWJ. “It tastes just like chicken, it’s juicy. The texture is just like chicken -- it pulls apart. It’s not like a lot of the other -- like the black bean burgers and that kind of stuff. This actually looks and tastes just like chicken.”
“For years, our customers have expressed an appetite for a plant-based option in addition to our regular chicken-based menu items,” Malliaras said. “We feel we’ve hit the mark with these great tasting tenders from Beyond Meat.”
The Pretendies will only be available for a limited time at select DWC locations. They can be ordered in three, five or 10-piece quantities, and can be tossed in any of the restaurant’s 19 sauces, which range from classics like BBQ and buffalo, to interesting twists like Creole parmesan and butter cheese sauce.
More info can be found on the Detroit Wing Co. website.