Hungry Jack's has unleashed the Rebel Whopper, its plant-based alternative to the original beef burger

• Hungry Jack's has released the Rebel Whopper, a plant-based alternative to its traditional Whopper.

• The fast food giant teamed up with newly launched plant-based meat startup v2food, which is backed by Hungry Jack's founder Jack Cowin.

• According to Hungry Jack's, the burger is flame grilled to give it a "smokey BBQ flavour just like the famous beef Whopper".

---

Meet Hungry Jack's new Whopper.

The company has launched the Rebel Whopper, a plant-based alternative to its iconic beef burger.

The fast food giant teamed up with newly launched plant-based meat company v2food to create the patty. v2food is backed by none other than Hungry Jack's founder Jack Cowin, along with the CSIRO.

The new 0% beef Whopper is flame grilled to give it the "smokey BBQ flavour just like the famous beef Whopper", Hungry Jack's said in a statement.

Hungry Jack's CMO Scott Baird said in a statement that the new Whopper targets a new set of customers.

“There is a growing number of flexitarians and meat reducers who, while not necessarily vegetarian or vegan, welcome a plant-based option in their diet," he said. "The Rebel Whopper will appeal to these people without compromising on the taste our Whopper is known for and we hope to attract even more guests to our restaurants."

Baird added that it is "very difficult to tell the difference" when comparing the Rebel to the beef Whopper.

Hungry Jack's is no stranger to tapping onto the meat-free trend. It launched the Veggie Whopper in 2001 and followed that up with the Vegan Cheeseburger last year.

Hungry Jack’s CEO, Chris Green, said the Rebel Whopper will give existing and new customers a choice between two burgers with an almost identical flavour and levels of protein.

“The protein-rich patty has been created to be flame-grilled, so that it meets the flavour profile that has made the Whopper such a great success," Green said in a statement.

“Flame grilling is what sets the Whopper apart and the ability to flame grill a patty made from plants was a major challenge for the innovation team. But it was an opportunity that has now delivered a great tasting burger and we challenge people to tell the difference."

The Rebel costs the same as a regular Whopper and is available at the more than 440 Hungry Jack's stores around Australia.

Hungry Jack's isn't the only fast food company to jump on board the plant-based meat trend.

In September, McDonald's announced it was teaming up with Beyond Meat to serve a new plant-based burger in Canada, the P.L.T. (or "Plant. Lettuce. Tomato.").

The P.L.T., however, won't be 100% vegan as it has cheese and is "cooked on the same grill as other burgers, meat-based products and eggs."