While beef and chicken dominate the fast food world, frequent visitors will know that pork features much less prominently on its main players' menus — with the exception of ham- and sausage-heavy breakfasts, pork on many lunch and dinner menus is often limited to bacon on a burger or limited-edition products like the McRib at McDonald's (MCD) or Burger King's Pulled Pork King.
There is reason for that as pork that is not heavily processed (such as that what is in a sausage or a hot dog) spoils much more easily and necessitates more stringent cooking conditions not always possible in a fast food environment.
Despite It All, There Is Still An Appetite For Pork
But even so, there is clearly an appetite for pork for American audiences. According to data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, meat consumption has been rising by around 1% annually for the last decade.
While pork falls below beef and chicken as the most popular protein choice, the average American still eats around 66.18 pounds of pork a year. Bacon alone takes up five of those pounds.
As a result, fast food companies that offer pork products may be able to win over a large slice of consumers. For Yum! Brands (YUM)-owned Kentucky Fried Chicken, that is looking like ham fried in coating and slapped atop fried chicken in a burger bun.
A Ham Sandwich From KFC?
These new menu items, known as the Gokumami Ham Katsu Filet Sandwich and the Gokumami Cheese Ham Katsu Filet Sandwich, are part of a limited-time promotion launched by KFC Japan April 20.
The two sandwiches, which feature a ham cutlet fried in coating and used to build a sandwich with a piece of regular KFC coated chicken breast, sauce and lettuce, are available independently or as part of several different sets — the Gokumami Ham Katsu Filet Sandwich Set also comes with fries and a drink while the Gokumami Ham Katsu Filet Sandwich Box has all that and a small apple pie.
The least expensive version of the Gokumami Ham Katsu sandwich starts at 790 yen, or just over $6.
Don't Expect To See This In The U.S.
The product is, naturally, limited to KFC's Japanese locations — American menus are still limited to the brand's signature chicken and, most recently, a few meatless poultry options made with Beyond (BYND) meat. (Stocks of the alternative meat producer soared as soon as news that KFC was rolling out these products dropped.)
While KFC Japan is far from the only global location to feature pork (the KFC Philippines menu has a number of pork products) on its menu, deep-fried ham is a product that is likely still far to exotic for an American audience — while a sandwich is much less adventurous, the meaty dessert from McDonald's Thailand known as the Chili Pork Paste Ice Cream elicited primarily the "ew, gross" response.
Even given KFC's insane popularity in Asia (there are presently more stores in Asia than in North America), what happens there can't always be relied upon as a bellwether for trends that can soon hit the US and Canada. Fast-food chains constantly adapt their menus to fit the taste buds of different countries with items that are not likely to sell well back home.
Just think of Burger King Sprout Surprise Whopper in the UK or the Ovaltine McFlurry from Hong Kong.
