PANDA EXPRESS®, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BEYOND MEAT®, LAUNCHES BEYOND™ THE ORIGINAL ORANGE CHICKEN™ ACROSS 70 LOCATIONS NATIONWIDE

PANDA EXPRESS®, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BEYOND MEAT®, LAUNCHES BEYOND™ THE ORIGINAL ORANGE CHICKEN™ ACROSS 70 LOCATIONS NATIONWIDE

After a successful initial launch in New York City and Southern California this summer, Panda Express and Beyond Meat are expanding the availability of this innovative menu item for a limited time to cater to guests’ evolving preferences for more plant-based options 

Panda Express is the first national Asian restaurant concept to serve Beyond Meat across the U.S.

ROSEMEAD, Calif. (October 27, 2021) – Panda Express®, the largest family-owned and operated Asian dining concept in the U.S., is bringing back the wildly popular plant-based Beyond™ The Original Orange Chicken™ to even more cities throughout the country for a limited time while supplies last. Following a successful launch in New York City and Southern California this past summer, this new entrée is a delicious and innovative take on Panda’s iconic, world-famous dish and will be rolling out across 70 locations starting today. Co-developed with Beyond Meat®, this innovative entree captures the irresistible texture and flavor of The Original Orange Chicken®, with the nutritional benefits of plant-based protein.

Beyond The Original Orange Chicken is a good source of plant-based protein and is wok-tossed in Panda’s beloved sweet and tangy Orange Chicken sauce, delivering on the craveable experience that guests love about The Original Orange Chicken. This plant-based innovation, which marks Panda’s first-ever product collaboration, was met with undeniable excitement from guests this summer, as it sold out across all participating Southern California locations less than two weeks into its launch. 

“We received an overwhelmingly positive guest response when we introduced Beyond The Original Orange Chicken at select locations earlier this year. In fact, we wok-fired more than 1,300 pounds of Beyond The Original Orange Chicken in just the first day,” says Chef Jimmy Wang, Executive Director of Culinary Innovation at Panda Express. “It’s one of Panda’s most successful regional launches to date, which further reinforces the desire we’re seeing from our guests for more diverse and plant-based options.”

“We’re excited to expand Beyond The Original Orange Chicken to ten states across the U.S. as we work to increase accessibility to plant-based options at consumers’ favorite restaurants,” said Deanna Jurgens, Chief Growth Officer, Beyond Meat. “We’re proud to be Panda’s trusted partner in reenvisioning their iconic, best-selling dish and are confident that Beyond The Original Orange Chicken will continue delighting fans who are seeking great-tasting, and sustainable protein options.”

As a trailblazer of American Chinese cuisine, Panda is always looking for innovative ways to create a flavorful variety of dishes that appeal to guests’ evolving preferences and tastes and is the first national Asian restaurant concept to serve Beyond Meat. Other plant-based dishes on the menu include Eggplant Tofu, Super Greens, Chow Mein, Vegetable Spring Rolls and Steamed White and Brown Rice. 

Starting October 27, 2021, Beyond The Original Orange Chicken will be available for a limited time at select locations in California, New York, Georgia, Illinois, Texas, Florida, Washington, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. Visit PandaExpress.com/BTOOC for the list of participating locations and the latest product details.

For more information on Panda Express and the Beyond The Original Orange Chicken dish, visit www.pandaexpress.com or follow Panda Express on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

About Panda Express®

On a mission to inspire better lives, Panda Express® is the largest Asian dining concept in the U.S. Family-owned and operated since 1983 by Co-Founders and Co-CEOs Andrew and Peggy Cherng, Panda Express is best known as a trailblazer for creating a wide variety of industry-first recipes, including its best seller the Original Orange Chicken® and award-winning Honey Walnut Shrimp™, which have defined the category of authentic American Chinese cuisine. Each dish at Panda Express is thoughtfully crafted with quality ingredients and inspired by bold Chinese flavors and culinary principles. The restaurant brand has more than 2,200 locations and has introduced American Chinese cuisine to 12 international countries. Powered by this global family of associates, Panda Cares®, Panda’s philanthropic arm, has raised more than $260 million and dedicated countless volunteer hours in bettering the health and education for over 12 million youths, as well as supporting communities in need since 1999. In 2020, the organization established the Panda Cares Scholars Program to provide the necessary funding, academic support and leadership development to help high school and college students learn, lead and thrive towards a bright future. For more information about Panda, visit www.pandaexpress.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. 

About Beyond Meat

Beyond Meat, Inc. (NASDAQ: BYND) is one of the fastest growing publicly-traded food companies in the United States, offering a portfolio of revolutionary plant-based proteins made from simple ingredients without GMOs, bioengineered ingredients, hormones, antibiotics or cholesterol. Founded in 2009, Beyond Meat products are designed to have the same taste and texture as animal-based meat while being better for people and the planet. Beyond Meat’s brand commitment, Eat What You Love™, represents a strong belief that there is a better way to feed our future and that the positive choices we all make, no matter how small, can have a great impact on our personal health and the health of our planet. By shifting from animal-based meat to plant-based protein, we can positively impact four growing global issues: human health, climate change, constraints on natural resources and animal welfare. As of June 2021, Beyond Meat had products available at approximately 119,000 retail and foodservice outlets in over 80 countries worldwide. Visit www.BeyondMeat.com and follow @BeyondMeat, #BeyondBurger and #GoBeyond on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

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