Everything’s Better with Bacon, but Is Bacon Better Without Meat?

Beyond Meat, one of the major players in the corporate meat-substitute business, has announced that they have their sights on bacon. The company’s burgers and sausages have already gained quite a following, and are even being used at Dunkin’ Donuts, Carl’s Jr., and even Disney World, so it’s no surprise that they would try and expand their plant-based empire.

“Beyond Meat is committed to building out the protein case,” a representative of the company told Kitchn. So, while they started with some of the easier products, like sausage and burgers, they are hoping to expand. “Some of the more complex meats (such as bacon and steak) are potential targets for the brand.”

Of course, for home cooks, that brings up a lot of questions — will it sizzle up like bacon? Can you crisp it for lardons and re-use the fat from cooking it? Could you wrap it around a hot dog like a Sonora dog? Or will it be a single-use type of bacon, imitating the classic breakfast strip?

Since the product isn’t released yet, everyone will just have to wait to find out, but the company’s current response to these questions is the vague but promising statement that “Beyond Meat is committed to innovation and expansion, and with each new product we are quickening our pace as we work to collapse the differences between our products and their animal-protein equivalents.”

Given that the company is already working with Dunkin’ and Tim Horton’s, it seems like they are likely scrambling pretty hard and fast to bring home the bacon.