Brazilian Steakhouse Chain CEO: Adding Vegan Meat Poses “No Risk”

Dallas, TX-based Brazilian steakhouse chain Fogo de Chão aims to add vegan meat to its animal-heavy menu with CEO Barry McGowan saying that it’s a no-brainer. The 53-location chain features a “churrasco” experience, where guests pay a set price for all-you-can-eat meat, passed around on skewers and knives by servers. “We’ve been working on plant-based proteins for about two years,” McGowan told National Restaurant News. “Our price includes everything, so why wouldn’t we offer that? There’s no risk.” McGowan did not reveal if the options would be from popular brands such as Beyond Meat or Impossible Foods, only that the chain was exploring “several ideas.” Within the last month alone, a number of chains announced their intent to add vegan meat options to their menus, including doughnut giant Dunkin’, chicken chain KFC, and Canadian coffee chain Tim Horton’s.