El Pollo Loco is not shutting down the idea of introducing a plant-based meat product to its chicken-friendly menu.
"Never say never," Bernard Acoca, CEO of El Pollo Loco in an interview with Cheddar. "Plant-based is becoming what appears to be a trend and we won't rule it out, and it may be something that we look to in our future."
Fake meat makers including Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods have brought mock-meat into the spotlight, and their early success demonstrates the substantial demand for products such as plant-based burgers and sausages. Part of the popularity is a result of consumers' desire for a healthier diet. In fact, 83 percent of U.S. consumers cite improving overall health and nutrition as motivation for eating plant-based foods, according to a Nielsen survey. But El Pollo Loco doesn't think plant-based is the only solution.
"If you're looking to eat healthy, we have a way for you to do that today," Acoca said.
El Pollo Loco's CEO pointed to the restaurant chain's Mexican-inspired menu featuring grilled chicken, vegetarian options, and an under 500 calories menu that he said will "cater to any diet."
The total meat market is estimated to be a $1.4 trillion category, and many restaurants are preparing for plant-based to be a major contributor to the segment's growth. Chains including BurgerFi, KFC, Dunkin' Donuts, and Carl's Junior have already teamed up with Beyond Meat, while restaurants such as White Castle, Applebee's, and Burger King have partnered with Impossible Foods. Meat processors are also taking notice. Tyson Foods launched its Raised & Rooted brand this past summer, which features its nuggets made with pea protein, bamboo fiber, egg white, and golden flaxseed.
Oracle soars as it cashes in on the AI boom, Plus: Starbucks shares continue to fall under its new CEO, and does anybody actually want a new iPhone Air?
Swedish buy now, pay later company Klarna is making its highly anticipated public debut on the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday, the latest in a run of high-profile initial public offerings this year. The offering priced at $40 Tuesday, above the forecasted range of $35 to $37 a share, valuing the company at more than $15 billion. The valuation easily makes Klarna one of the biggest IPOs so far in 2025, which has been one of the busier years for companies going public. Other popular IPOs so far this year include the design software company Figma and Circle Internet Group, which issues the USDC stablecoin..
Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison wrested the title of the world’s richest man from longtime holder Elon Musk early Wednesday as stock in his software giant rocketed more than a third in a stunning few minutes of trading. That is according to wealth tracker Bloomberg. A college dropout, the 81-year-old Ellison is now worth $393 billion, Bloomberg says, several billion more than Musk, who had been the world’s richest for four years. The switch in the ranking came after a blockbuster earnings report from Oracle. Forbes still has Musk as the richest, however, valuing his private businesses much higher.
