Burger King is rolling out its latest pitch to environmentally conscious eaters: patties made from cows fed with a lemongrass diet to help eliminate methane releases from the animals.
The burger company said on Tuesday that the new diet will help reduce methane gas emissions by up to 33% and cited concerns about climate change as an impetus for the move.
“If the whole industry, from farmers, meat suppliers, and other brands join us, we can increase scale and collectively help reduce methane emissions that affect climate change,” said Fernando Machado, global chief marketing officer for Restaurant Brands International, which owns Burger King.
The fast-food chain teamed up with the Autonomous University at the State of Mexico and the University of California, Berkeley to design a new diet for cattle, which will cause the livestock to pass gas less. Climate change activists have pointed to methane from cows as a major factor in temperatures rising across the planet.
The company, which was the first chain restaurant to introduce a non-meat patty to consumers, shared a video to accompany the news, which featured viral internet star Mason Ramsey, better known as the Walmart yodeling boy, in a starring role.
“Cow farts & burps are no laughing matter. they release methane, contributing to climate change,” wrote the burger company on Twitter. “That’s why we’re working to change our cows’ diet by adding lemongrass to reduce their emissions by approximately 33%. learn about our ongoing study.”
cow farts & burps are no laughing matter. they release methane, contributing to climate change. that’s why we’re working to change our cows’ diet by adding lemongrass to reduce their emissions by approximately 33%. learn about our ongoing study: https://t.co/kPCXpjfbGL #CowsMenu pic.twitter.com/DnmF8gVVL0
— Burger King (@BurgerKing) July 14, 2020
