Café Launches Deathly Spicy Vegan Burger Challenge

Vegan café Heavenly Free From Foods in Newcastle, United Kingdom, recently created the “Grim Reaper Challenge” to promote its new plant-based burger that is so spicy customers have to sign a waiver before eating it. Made from four different chilis, the Grim Reaper burger is reportedly 400 times hotter than a jalapeño pepper, and café owner Paul Holloway claims it is the world’s hottest burger. “People are frightened of it, to be honest,” Holloway told Stoke On Trent Live. “No one’s done it yet. One guy came close—he had a chicken nugget-sized piece left but he hit a wall and couldn’t take it.” Holloway said he has to put on a mask, gloves, and safety glasses before preparing the burger for his customers. “It’s not to be trifled with,” he said. “It’s like a volcano going off inside your body.” Many non-vegan restaurants have promoted spicy menu items with Grim Reaper challenges, but this may be the first time a vegan café is getting in on the fun. In 2016, vegans were faced with a similar challenge when tortilla chip company Paqui’s One Chip Challenge promotion went viral around the globe after the release of its Carolina Reaper Madness Chip, which happens to be free from animal products.