Meet The McVeggie: Chef Jeff Anderson On Crafting McDonald’s New Veggie Burger

After a rave regional test this spring, the McVeggie rolled out nationwide on September 16—a golden, breaded veggie patty packed with carrots, green beans, zucchini, peas, soybeans, broccoli and corn, finished with shredded lettuce, a creamy mayo-style sauce and a toasted sesame bun (or dial it up with the Spicy Habanero McVeggie). Join us for a Q&A with Chef Jeff Anderson, McDonald’s Canada’s Culinary Innovation Lead, for a behind-the-scenes look at how the sandwich was developed, how the veggie patty was formulated and tested, and what it takes to launch a plant-forward option at scale. —Noa Nichol

The McVeggie patty lists visible vegetables — carrots, green beans, zucchini, peas, soybeans, broccoli and corn. How deliberate was the decision to include noticeable chunks of veg in the patty, and how did you determine the ideal size/texture of those pieces?

Through consumer feedback and testing, we heard that our guests were craving a veggie-based sandwich. So, when developing the McVeggie we made sure the vegetables were the hero and that guests could not only taste them but also see them with every bite. The vegetables provided texture and flavour to the patty, ensuring we delivered on the feedback we heard from our guests and differentiated ourselves from other meat-imitation products available in the market.

How many different veggie blends or patty formulations did your team test before landing on the final recipe? Can you share any surprising iterations that didn’t make the cut?

We took inspiration from other similar sandwiches across different McDonald’s markets; however, we tested and trialed our McVeggie recipe to meet unique Canadian palates. We tested a variety of different flavour profiles before landing on the one guests are now enjoying at McDonald’s restaurants across Canada.  

Walk us through the sensory testing process: how many taste panels were run, who participated (employees, external consumers, chefs)?

When we were testing different flavour profiles, we really focused feedback around three main areas: flavour, texture and visual. After the evaluation of each, we landed on the McVeggie patty which was further tested as part of an in-restaurant regional test earlier this year. We frequently run these tests in-restaurant to be able to capture initial feedback from our guests and test different operational procedures to ensure a seamless national rollout.

And our guest feedback from these tests was overwhelmingly positive – they expressed excitement, appreciation, and strong interest in seeing the McVeggie return so we’re excited to have launched this in restaurants nationwide.

Many fast-food veggie patties struggle with moisture and mouthfeel. What were the biggest technical challenges (binding, breading, frying stability) you had to solve to keep the patty crisp on the outside and veggie-forward inside?

Our priority was to create a crispy and delicious veggie-based sandwich that would provide more options for guests. Knowing that texture is a large part of this, our Culinary Innovation team was excited to undertake this challenge. We tested various iterations to create our McVeggie patty that has that moist, savoury interior and crispy exterior to the last bite.

The launch includes a Spicy Habanero McVeggie. How did you approach balancing heat without masking the vegetable flavours, and did you test different heat levels or sauce formulations?

The Spicy Habanero McVeggie was designed to deliver extra heat for spice lovers and provide more variety for our guests. We know that consumers in Canada love our Habanero sauce, so it was a natural fit to add it to the McVeggie as an alternative option for guests who are craving some heat.

During the regional test earlier this year, what were the most common pieces of guest feedback (praise and criticism)? How many of those comments resulted in a recipe or service change prior to the national rollout?

During our tests this spring, we heard loud and clear that guests loved the McVeggie sandwiches’ iconic taste. So much so that we planned to have the test run for 4-weeks and we sold out in 8 days. Positive feedback themes included flavour, inclusivity and texture with “great taste” being the leading theme. With every new menu item, our main goal is to create delicious, craveable food for all guests. Given the positive response from our tests this spring, we know that the McVeggie and Spicy Habanero McVeggie have hit on this goal, and we’re excited for guests across Canada to enjoy its iconic McDonald’s taste.